A Beautiful Lie
by HappyLittleTree
Summary: Disguised as a man of Caesars Legion, Maximus battles not only with the fate of the Mojave, but also her place within the faction she so strongly believes in. But, how does one navigate a life of secrecy when all eyes are on them? The eyes of the mighty Caesar are not the only ones watching.
1. Chapter 1: What is in a name?

Screams filled the air. The raging destruction of fire shone through the walls of the tent. The sound of metal striking metal—striking flesh surrounded them. A woman curled her body around her only child of barely a year. The tent flaps flew open, revealing a man dressed in crimson, a blade at his side, blood dripping from it. She screamed, backing herself as far into a corner as she could, the baby still tucked against her. He approached, speaking at her in a language she could not understand. As he reached for her, she swung out at him, striking his arm with a small knife, the only defense she had. Enraged, he attacked

As the fires died down and the surviving tribals were corralled to determine their fate, the feint cry of a baby met the ears of the Malpais Legate. He walked away from the profligates, leaving the executions to Caesar who only glanced at him, before beheading an elder of the tribe. The cheers of legionnaires floated behind him as he walked through the wreckage of the village until he came upon a collapsed tent, the crying growing louder. Upon lifting the tattered remains out of the way, he was met with the source of the cries. A small baby, soaked in blood, screaming at the top of its lungs laid before him. He reached for it, unsure as to what he would do, but unable to leave it. A hand shot out from under the remaining wreckage, circling around his arm weakly. He pulled back, the arm falling limp over the baby, leaving blood streaked over his already tainted skin. He pulled the tent back further to reveal a woman, her body draped over a dead recruit with a knife in his chest. She looked up at him, shallow breaths barely quaking her form, her lips moving. The Legate knelled down, studying her for a moment as she tried to speak before lowering his ear to her, too curious for his own good. It was not entirely clear, but it was a language he had heard when he was still a Follower. Among the repetition, he could only make out "Not girl. Not slave." The rest lost among the crying. He sat back, staring down at the determination in her eyes. With speed he did not anticipate, she pulled the knife out of the recruit and brought it down upon the baby. The blade glanced off of his bracer as he blocked it, causing it to only score the upper arm of the infant. Ripping the blade out of her hand, he moved to bring it down on her, only to stop mid strike. She was no longer breathing, her eyes vacant, the determination and life no longer present. He dropped the knife and picked up the child before standing. As soon as he cradled it against his chest, the crying stopped. With a wipe of his thumb, he cleared the blood from around the cut to see that it was only superficial and would not require care. He unwound the blood soaked swaddle that still wrapped around its lower body. It was a girl. He looked around him, making sure there were no witnesses before tearing a strip of fabric from his tunic and wrapping it around her.

He returned to Caesar. The executions had been complete, the broken people tied in a line, ready to march with the remaining livestock. Only a single child, no older than three stood among the survivors—or rather, at Caesar's side. He raised his eyebrow at Caesar, aware that he looked equally perplexing holding an infant.

I feel it's time I had a son. My wife has bore me nothing and my concubine has given me only girls. What am I to do with a gaggle of priestesses?" Caesar said with a smile. "This one, here" he started, ruffling the unruly black locks of the boy's hair "was quite elusive. He hid among the animals, not fighting, but not running away when I found him." The boy looked up at the Legate, his unsettling blue eyes locking with his. "Am I to assume you've done the same?" Caesar questioned, a smile still gracing his face as he looked at the bundle in his arms. The Legate stared down at the baby cradled in the crook of his elbow, only then realizing how natural it felt to hold her. Her eyes were closed, as she slept quietly in his arms.

"Yes," he found himself saying. "I believe Mars himself has blessed me with finding what I myself cannot have. A child born from blood and victory", he said loud enough for the masses to hear, to hopefully justify his decision among their lies. "I will call him Maximus."


	2. Chapter 2: What makes a man

"I can't keep her out of trouble forever. She will eventually grow into her body and they will know." The priestess whispered, quickly. "Keeping her among us can only work for so long. They questioned why she does not join the other children for baths. Even the other priestesses are beginning to question why she is here, at her age." The concern in her voice was all that held the Legate from striking her.

"HE. HE is getting older. You cannot continue to see him as a girl if you intend to protect him." The Legate scolded. "Even at his age, he understands how vital it is to hide the truth, what could become of him if he is discovered. You know well enough that the life of a priestess is no better than a slave, I cannot have that for my child. Caesar would make an example of him, regardless of my station to prohibit others from trying the same with their daughters." He ran a hand over his face and sighed. The priestess laid her hand upon his shoulder hesitantly.

"Though, I'm not sure why you chose to commit to such a difficult lie, I can see that you love this child. By Mars grace, you have been allowed to keep it hidden, and for that I will commit to it, with you." She lifted her hand to his face and cradled his cheek. "The God's see something in this child, what that is remains to be seen. If you want to hide him once he reaches adulthood, you must hurt him." He leaned his face into her touch.

"Why?" he asked closing his eyes.

"To make him strong, but also to hide his body. When his figure starts to show, punish him. Whether it be for poor swordsmanship, for not running fast enough, for not maintaining eye contact—you must whip him and have bandages placed around his chest. After only a few short years of this, he will be old enough to join the recruits and find his own excuses for hiding his body.

"How long do we have?"

"Hopefully not until he's thirteen."

"That's only three years…"

"Then prepare him, as you have for everything else."

"He will hate me."

"He will understand."


	3. Chapter 3: Ash to ash

"The Malpais Legate stood before the altar as the priestesses dressed him in his armor, muttering on about the will of Mars. He closed his eyes, hoping the distant beat of war drums would drown out their nonsense. When his polished chest piece was finally latched into place, the leather straps smelling of perfumed oils, he ordered them away. Only one remained behind, his helmet in hand.

"He would want to see you." she said, quietly as she approached him.

"He can see me as we march, like everyone else. I cannot treat him with favor." he said, shaking his head.

"What if you don't come back? What if you were to fall in battle? Do you not want an opportunity to fix things, to at least bid them well?" she asked, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"I cannot be seen as weak. Saying goodbye will only make it seem like I've no faith in my ability to win. I have waged war countless times, this will be no different." he said firmly.

"You've waged war on tribes! This is an army, an organized military with established territory. This is different!" tears ran freely down her face at her outburst, as she prepared to be punished. A gloved hand raised to cup her cheek, mimicking what she had done so many times.

"I will come back. Even if we lose, I will come back." He pulled her into his chest, the cold metal biting at her skin. "I will return for you, my goddess."

"Do not forsake the gods with that title" she whispered.

"The Gods are not real." she drew her head back, wide eyes staring into his. "But, this is" he said caressing her cheek. Her bottom lip quivered at her loss for words. The Legate leaned down and kissed her gently, before taking his helmet from her hands. He placed it upon his head. "If something were to happen, I trust you to take care of him."

"I will do as I always have, but he's grown. Before long, that vicious independence you instilled will no longer be within my control." He smiled at that, the crinkling at the corner of his eyes contrasting with the violent imagery of his armor. After a moment, his face fell at the change of the drum beats in the distance.

"I must go." He said, his posture straightening. The priestess stepped to the altar and retrieved his blade, presenting it to him as she knelt He accepted it, fastening it to his belt before making her rise from the floor. "I love her, you know." He said, barely above a whisper. She nodded, snaking her hand into his. "I will see you, once we have secured the dam." He squeezed her hand reassuringly, placing a kiss upon it before gently releasing it and walking away from her and out of the tent. Tears continued to fall down her face as the mighty battle cry of Caesar's Legion sounded outside.


	4. Chapter 4: No good deed

"Maximus. Maximus, wake up!" the harsh whisper of the priestess brought her from her slumber. "Maximus, get up, we need to go!" She bolted up, hand reaching for the knife under her pillow. A firm grip on her arm stopped her. "Maximus, grab only what's necessary, we need to leave, now." The urgency in her voice had her reaching below her bed for a pack of emergency rations and supplies. She stood and turned towards her armor and weapons rack. "Leave the armor, we can't be identified." The priestess hissed, already backing towards the exit of the tent.

"Why are we leaving?" she asked, grabbing her machete.

"I'll explain as we go, for now, we need to flee. Stick to the outer edges of the camp, try not to be seen." Maximus obeyed without further question, ducking out of her tent and into the night. After a few miles of running, they came upon the Colorado River and stopped at its shore. The priestess bowed forward panting as Maximus caught her breath, looking around them for threats.

"What happened? Have they figured me out?" she asked, unable to wait for the priestess to come forward on her own.

"No. But you may as well have been." She said between heavy breaths.

"I don't understand. What happened?" she snapped out.

"Vulpes Inculta is set for crucifixion. If Caesar is willing to execute his own son, imagine what he will do to you." She bit out.

"What did he do?!" she gasped out, voice cracking.

"He broke rank. The details were vague, but he is being scourged, now. We need to swim across and flee west, before they realize that we're missing. If we can reach NCR territory, we should be safe." Maximus stared at her, terror painting her features. The priestess grabbed her hand and began pulling her towards the water.

"I can't leave" she mumbled. Grounding her feet to stop from being pulled into the water.

"What do you mean?! Do you not realize what kind of danger you're in?" the priestess shouted.

"I can't—" she stated louder "I just—please, I can't…" she shook her head, eyes wide as she began backing away.

"I can't go back with you. If this is your decision, then you must know I've done what I can. I have fulfilled your father's wishes, but I cannot stay around to watch you die-to be killed for hiding you." She took a deep breath as her face screwed up painfully, tears beginning to spill down her red cheeks. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Run. I don't yet know what I'll tell them of your absence, but I will come up with something, I promise you. Now, go. I need to get to Vulpes." Without another glance, Maximus turned and ran back towards camp as the eyes of the priestess stayed on her until she was swallowed by the night.

"Maximus ran back to the camp and abruptly stopped after pushing through the crowd gathered at the center. By torch light, the bleeding body of Vulpes was on display for all to see. The crack of a whip was the only sound to meet her ears as the noise of the crowd faded into the background. Vulpes did not cry out as his flesh was split by the strike. His brows were furrowed, his teeth clenched, but he otherwise did not betray his pain. His eyes seemed focused on nothing at all until they locked with hers. For the next few minutes that seemed to stretch on for hours, his gaze remained on her, as if her being there was an anchor. She did not blink, did not look away, offering her silent apology for being unable to stop what was happening to him.

"Vulpes Inculta!" A centurion shouted. Maximus did not look to him, but she knew the voice of Aurelius. Her eyes remained on Vulpes. "Let your death be a warning to any man who chooses to disobey orders. This is what will become of you—even if you are the son of the son of Mars." He spat bitterly. A group of men moved forward and took hold of Vulpes as his bindings were cut. His body slouched, but his head remained up, eyes still locked on hers. He was dragged backwards and hoisted up onto a partially erected crucifix, his limbs tied in place before they brought it to its full height. And still, his eyes remained on Maximus. The intensity of his stare burned. "It is known that you are not Caesars true son, and for that you will die as all mortals do! Mars cannot save you!" Aurelius shouted. With that, he spat at the base of the crucifix before turning and storming away. The gathering of men began to depart slowly, a low muttering accompanying them until it was only Maximus left. Their eye contact never wavered. Slowly, Maximus approached Vulpes until she was at his feet.

"I'm so sorry", she whispered. Vulpes closed his eyes for a moment, his breaths shallow from the strain. When he opened them, Maximus felt them pierce her heart.

"Do not be sorry. I can only be grateful that my oldest friend could be here to witness my downfall. I do not have any regrets, though. I did what was necessary, and by Mars will, we were victorious." He stated, his lids growing heavy.

"Vulpes—"

"Do not offer to kill me." He said, blinking slowly.

"How did you—"

"You're predictable. You've always been predictable. I can't fathom…" he took a slow, strained breath. "I can't fathom not knowing you in and out. Which is why I know you are upset, but you will be strong and you will overcome my absence, brother." His eyes began to close, his head nodding towards his chest. Maximus stared, trying not to react to his state. Trying not to let the tears welling in her eyes fall. Trying not to cut him down.

"Vul…", he didn't respond, but his chest rose and fell slowly. "I'm not a man…" she whispered. "I've been lying my whole life. The only two people who have known have left me. And now you will, too…but I can't resent you." She continued watching his slowed signs of life. "I lov—"

"Cut him down!" the voice of Caesar broke out behind her. She stiffened and turned to see a group of men marching, Caesar leading the way with long, quick strides. "I said fucking cut him down!" he said, looking directly at her. As fast as she could, she grabbed a knife from her boot and began tearing away at the bindings around his ankles. By the time she was done, the group had reached them and made quick work of cutting his remaining restraints. His body slumped and fell to the ground. "Get him to a god damned healer. Someone get Aurelius and bring him to my tent!" Caesar shouted. Maxiumus didn't bother to hear what was said next. She quickly picked Vulpes up and slung him over her shoulder before running to the healer's tent. Vulpes was going to live.


	5. Chapter 5: Moon rise

"What is your name?" Maximus was asked.

"Max" she stated plainly. Her facial expression neutral.

"Is that short for anything?"

"Maxwell—but I haven't been called that since my folks passed." She looked down to the ground for a beat before perking back up, her facial expression returning to its neutral state

"Where are you from?"

"Utah, originally. But I've been travelling for a long time, now."

"Why is that?"

"Work mostly. I'm a courier."

"Why are you here?"

"Initially, I heard word of the Crimson Caravan hiring, but I figured while I'm out here, I may as well visit New Vegas. Maybe if I win big, I can finally settle down."

"So, you have no wife? A man of your age should be tied down by now, I would think."

"No. But even if I did, wouldn't want to have to pass up on a visit to Gomorrah." She gave a wolfish grin. Vulpes smirked back at her.

"That was adequate, Max."

"Thank you, Mr. Fox."

"The story didn't deviate, this time. You kept it short, simple and half true. You're getting better.

"Good enough to go to New Vegas with you, next time?"

"Not, yet." She masked her disappointment with a smirk. "Don't act like you're content with that answer." She let her face drop. "It's not as if I feel you aren't able to handle yourself. You've only been within our ranks for a few months and if I allow you to go to such a high profile location this soon, others may believe I am doing it to play favorites. You are capable, but because of our personal relationship, I must be that much harder on you. I never want to give anyone the opportunity to say you got where you are because of anything other than your abilities."

"Like you." His expression hardened for only a second before softening with resolve.

"Like me." A companionable silence fell over them. "Why did you refuse to train under the Legate?" he asked after several minutes, his voice tinged with confusion and curiosity.

"What good would I be?"

"What do you mean?"

"Lanius—how can somebody as small as I be expected to work my way up to his second? And the Gods only know how it would look if he were to fall and this—"she gestured up and down at her terribly average frame. "-were to be trusted to succeed him. That, and the man hates me."

"He sees you as a threat."

"Because of who's son I am, not because of who I am."

"It is still a fear you can exploit."

"Exploitation is what brought me under your tutelage. As a member of the frumentarii, I can do just that and benefit our nation further." She sighed. "And I like being around you. I trust you. That" she looked pointedly at him "is something that you have exploited." Vulpes smirked.

"Maybe I do play favorites." Maximus punched him in the arm playfully. "We should retire. Tomorrow will be quite the spectacle." He said, a grin few ever saw breaking out over his face. "We begin crossing the river at sunset. I wouldn't want you to miss out. I bid you vale, brother." He stated before exiting her tent, the bright morning sun blinding her as she watched his silhouette disappear. As the tent flap closed, she stood from the table in the middle of her tent and stretched out, combing her fingers through her short cropped hair with a yawn. Sitting on her bed, she removed her boots. Her armor was already placed on its rack, which left her in her crimson tunic. As she laid back and pulled her thin covers over her body, she reached under her clothes and loosened her chest binding knowing she wouldn't be disturbed for several hours. Extinguishing her lantern, she laid in the half-light that filtered through the canvas of her tent. In the warmth of tent and the comfort of her cot, she quickly drifted to sleep.

Sunset came quickly and Maximus rose and dressed and groomed with precision before latching her machete to her side. With little personal belongings, she left her tent behind, knowing she would not return for several weeks, at best. Anything of importance would be packed and transported to their new camp if tomorrow's mission proved a success. She threw her rations pack over her shoulder and proceeded down the path to the river as the last light of the sun guided her way.

Reaching the docks, she boarded the raft with a handful of men. After a few minutes of idle chatter, Vulpes joined the party and all voices ceased. The tension of the men around them was palpable in his presence. Paying them no mind, Vulpes reached into his pack and pulled out a small package of cloth and handed it to Maximus. Upon opening it, she found dried meat and peered at Vulpes with a knowing look.

"You never elect to eat before missions, so I am now ordering you to do so." He said softly, so the others couldn't hear. Were they alone, he would have smirked. She could see it in his eyes, but in the presence of those he commanded, he had to suppress such actions. It was surprising enough that he risked such a kind gesture in the presence of others. He had a reputation to maintain. So instead of smile and quip as she wanted to, she scowled and began eating. He would know she was grateful. As he tended to know everything. Except of course, the truth. The idea made her lose what little appetite he had inspired, but she continued to eat, trying not to fixate on how deeply she wished she could tell him…again…when he wasn't passed out from blood loss or the threat of death. Of what it could be like under all of the right circumstances. Of the possibility of him accepting her, of loving her equally. With luck, her thoughts were broken by the sight of the moon reflecting off of Vulpes machete. How long had she been in her own head to miss the moon rising over the ridges? Vulpes noticed her staring at it.

"During my scouting of Cotton Wood Cove, I spotted a weapon I very much wish to wield." He whispered. She looked up at him. "I have seen others like it, but I wish to own this one in particular when we are victorious. I will have no more use for my blade. I wish you to accept it." She looked down at it, the moonlight catching on an image of a large metal fox head affixed to the hilt.

"Will it not be strange for me to bear the symbol of the fox?" she asked, fighting not to raise her eyebrow and give any hint to the kind of conversation being had in private.

"When I am Caesar, everything you own will bear my mark. Let this be a start." She knew it was a joke, she knew she would accept his weapon as a gift and as an honor, but she blushed at where her mind took her with his statement. She nodded in acceptance and turned to look out at the water, hoping that the pale light of the moon hid the redness in her cheeks and that for once, he didn't notice anything.


	6. Chapter 6: Burn

The nervous energy did not dissipate as they were brought to shore up river from Cotton Wood Cove. With what could easily be mistaken for the excitement of battle, Maximus flexed and unflexed her fingers from around the hilt of her weapon as she hid behind a boulder waiting for a sign to move forward. As she had for as long as she could remember, she focused on her desire to be a free woman, allowing her nervousness to transform into anger, into something that could be utilized, something to make her greater than what she truly is. She thought of every laceration ever inflicted for the sake of hiding her. Every beating she endured to show she was strong enough. Every experience she had to miss out on and would continue to miss out on because the person who could experience them would not be allowed to live. The signal was given and she moved forward with such speed and stealth, the enemy never had a chance.

The NCR had been ill prepared and was quickly dwindling in numbers as Vulpes lead the assault. Maximus left a trail of bodies in her wake as she moved throughout the camp. The other legionnaires had fanned out in their own directions, but she had moved further ahead than the formation had called for. The sound of shots being fired rang out all around her, fires engulfing dilapidated cabins by the water provided a constant low roar, but none could be heard over the sound of her own heartbeat and heavy breathing. She caught a glimpse of a soldier limping behind one of the burning cabins and made a beeline for him. As she came around the corner, the butt of a rifle was swung at her. She dodge the shot to her head causing it to come down on her arm, instead. Her machete was knocked away as she hunched over, following through with the blow to minimize damage. A kick was delivered to her stomach bringing her to the ground. She rolled, dodging another kick, realizing that she wasn't being fired at. He had ran out of ammunition. She stood, grounding herself for free handed combat, the soldier squaring up as best as he could to her. The sound of a ripper fired up behind her and she half turned to keep the soldier in her line of sight as she found another behind her ready to tear her apart. The man with the ripper advanced, forcing her to drop to dodge. She rolled to the side as the butt of the rifle was brought back down on her, narrowly missing her. She scrambled to her feet as a heavy thunk sounded to her side. As she turned, to dodge the ripper again, she caught the sight of the first soldier skewered to the side of the burning cabin by a machete. She dropped again, this time to kick out the legs of the soldier wielding the ripper. He fell, but swung the ripper around erratically, grazing her boots and luckily little else. She stood and grabbed for the machete holding the now dead soldier in place but dropped it from how hot the metal had grown, her gloves the only thing stopping her hand from being seared. She looked up to see Vulpes pick up her fallen blade and run for the soldier who was now attempting to stand-whose eyes were fixed on her weaponless form. She had to trust Vulpes. She threw herself back down to the ground as she saw him arch the machete and landed on the hot hilt of the other. The skin of her upper arm burned, but it was of little consequence. Moments later, the body of another dead soldier fell beside her, the ripper still activated in his dead hand. She rolled over and stood as Vulpes retrieved the ripper, turning it off. As soon as she gained her bearings, she ripped her machete out of the dead mans back, making eye contact with Vulpes as he silently looked her over for injuries. Before anything could be said, Maximus ran back into battle.

Once the adrenaline of victory had worn down, Maximus found herself no longer able to ignore the pain of her burn. As the legionnaires combed through the bodies to crucify any survivors, she made her way down to the river and hung over the dock, allowing her arm to be submerged up to her shoulder. The relief wasn't instantaneous, but the cool water soothed it more than she could hope for. Burns were not an injury she had grown accustom to. After several minutes, the rhythm of steps coming down the dock could be felt. She didn't need to look up to know it was Vulpes; nobody else ever put so much care into being light footed.

"Surely it would do you better to submerge yourself entirely, at this point. You're covered in blood." he spoke. She didn't look up, she didn't want to have to turn and be forced to lift her arm out of the water.

"That would involve me disrobing." she mumbled back.

"You're no longer in enemy territory, there is no risk. We have officially extended past the river." she could hear the smile in his voice.

"As much as I know you want to compare scars, I will never take my clothes off in front of anyone. It's grotesque."

"I know you still have to bandage yourself from time to time." his voice dropped, pity and curiosity laced through it. "Are you still affected?" She clenched her eyes shut, preparing herself with half-truths before lifting her arm out of the water and turning to look at him. He was now sitting in front of her waiting patiently for a response. The light of the still burning cabins illuminated him softly.

"How do you know?" she asked, concern overcoming her features.

"Your tunics sometimes get ripped during training. I can feel them when we grapple. You keep a stock of them in your tent." he stated factually. She steeled herself.

"The flesh is damaged. Though scars have built up, occasionally the skin still tears when I exert myself. I used to fear it would debilitate me, but I've resolved to work through the pain and use it as a reminder of my short comings. I had hoped it would go unnoticed as it would make others think less of me." she said, not a single word untrue just missing the most vital detail.

"Mine bleed, too." he said. His intense gaze channeling every bit of empathy he wished to convey.

"I know." she said above a whisper. His expression faltered and genuine panic followed by confusion flashed over his face for a rare moment. "I take walks on nights that I can't sleep. I've seen you cleaning and soothing your wounds in the river when you think no one is around."

"I suppose with going unnoticed by even me, you do belong among the frumentarii." he said turning his head to look inland. "Do you plan on hiding your new wound?" he asked casually.

"It's just a burn. I'm sure it'll be a slight discoloration by the time it heals."

"Are you sure about that?" he asked, turning to her with a wolfish grin. Her face twisted in confusion before she turned to look down at her arm.

"Son of a bitch!" by the light of the fire, she could make out shape of a fox head, positioned perfectly upon her arm from the hilt of Vulpes machete. "What god have I angered?" she hollered. A genuine laugh escaped Vulpes mouth as he held the offending weapon out to her.

"I told you I would have you bear my mark. I also told you that you would have this once I gained my weapon of choice." she took the blade and caught a glimpse of the ripper at Vulpes side. She tried and failed to hide the smile that broke out across her face.

"I suppose I will be covering it up after all." Vulpes glanced back at the horizon. "What do you keep looking for? Even with the fires attracting attention, Searchlight won't be able to respond for several hours."

"Just give it a moment." he said leaning back on his hands. Her gaze followed his, resting on the horizon waiting for whatever was to come. An easy silence replaced the anticipation as together they watched a small mushroom cloud bloom before the muted sound of an explosion followed. A second, brighter one erupted moments later with a green tint. As the plumes burned out, Vulpes watched with smiling eyes and a chest swollen with pride as Maximus watched him.

"I think it's your best work, yet." she said, her thumb absentmindedly grazing over the fox on the hilt of her new machete.

"Just wait for what I have in store for Nipton." he said smiling back at her.


	7. Chapter 7: Seeking council

"Of all that could have lived, it was that one?" Maximus commented as they watched the only untouched powderganger flee out of Nipton.

"I do have to abide by the rules of the lottery." Vulpes said smoothly.

"Which is why the mayor coincidentally was called for being burned among the tires?"

"Too many coincidences leave cause for questioning. How will those that we take back to the fort learn to trust us if I have everything work out in my favor? I need them to believe that the Gods chose to spare them."

"I'm glad you burned him. He was the most vile of them all."

"I read your report from last month. That may or may not have inspired the reasoning behind it" he stated, lowering his voice as the other legionnaires joined them upon the stairs of the town hall. Maximus suppressed a surprise grin.

"Sir, there's a survivor." One of the men shouted, pointing to a woman coming up the center road of town.

"No. There were no reports of a vault dweller residing here. It could just be a traveler attracted to the smoke. Let me speak to them." He looked to Maximus, her face hardening. "I see the gun. They're wielding it wrong, you have nothing to be worried about." He said so only she could hear. He descended the steps and waited out of earshot for the person to approach. Maximus stood by, shifting uneasily, waiting to attack if needed. After a few moments, the vault dweller turned and began walking out of Nipton. Vulpes returned to the group and ordered them to march back to their camp. As the men moved forward, Vulpes dropped back to Maximus' side. "We found ourselves a messenger of our cause." He stated lowly.

"An unassociated banner man is too much of a gift to waste. Where did you send them?"

"The outpost."

"Clever. How can you trust them?"

"I can't, but I know of them. She was the courier shot back in Good Springs. She's the only exciting thing to come out of this area—aside from me, or course. People will listen to what she has to say."

"And if they don't?"

"I believe we've left enough of an impact in this area to cause a stir. We will not go unnoticed." A beat passed in which the serious nature of the day dissipated. "Speaking of going unnoticed" Vulpes said, looking down at her arm. She couldn't see his eyes, but she knew where they were focused. She tensed and pulled her sleeve down over the wrap on her upper arm. "I don't understand why you still keep it wrapped up. It's been healed for over a month now and everyone is aware of its existence."

"It's embarrassing." She stated through gritted teeth.

"I'm quite fond of it. Does that not count for anything?" he said coolly.

"You aren't the one being harassed about it."

"That hasn't gone unnoticed, either."

"The last time we were at camp, one of the posters of you from the NCR was left on my cot with the top cut off, so it only said 'You are his bitch'. There are whispers of the nature of our relationship that could lead to us being crucified. So, no. Your fondness counts for nothing."

"Nobody within the Legion would be brave enough to come forward with such allegations. I would not put much weight on that." He lifted his goggles to rest on his cowl, giving her a playful look in the low light of sunset. "Though, it might help your cause to be seen with a woman from time to time."

"I can't bring myself to lie with a slave. It feels pathetic to require the affections of someone who can't say no."

"The priestesses?" she tensed for only a moment.

"The idea makes my skin crawl. It's too maternal given how long I resided with them as a babe. What about you, it's not as if you're screwing your way through the masses as the Legate does?"

"According to Caesar, I may have sisters within the priestesses, and though I am not blood, the idea doesn't settle well with me. You've known my opinion of the slaves since we were children—they are dissolute. My reputation out in the wastes however is enough to keep attention away from me." He said with a cocky smirk. A jealous spark flew down Maximus' spine.

"So I should just fuck the first free profligate I see and that'll save me?" she asked, bitterly.

"If they are not priestesses, if they were not born among us, they are all profligates. Your standards are too high for only flesh. It's not as if you need to take a wife." He stated calmly, trying to diffuse her temper. She collected herself, knowing her emotions were pointless.

"Maybe, if you took me to New Vegas, I would be successful on that front."

"Soon enough. That scar however will be a problem. Perhaps, you should maintain the bandage, after all."

"Maybe I should just burn it off." She bit out.

"We both know you like it more than you let on." He said smiling over at her knowingly. She raised an eyebrow in challenge. "You stroke your thumb along the fox on your blade when you're agitated or nervous. When your arms are crossed, you stroke your index finger over the edges of your wrap." She broke their eye contact. Not saying anything in return and continued marching in a tense silence.

In the following days, the group packed up their small camp and returned to Cotton Wood Cove, moral high from their success. Though it wasn't as spacious as her tent back at the Fort, Maximus was happy to have privacy, once more. They were due to return within the week upon the return of a few straggling raiding parties. Night had fallen and Maximus sat next to Vulpes among a group of higher ranking legionnaires who were departing one by one to sample the unbroken group of slaves kept by Canyon Runner to celebrate. Maximus peered up to the balcony above them to see Aurelius thrusting into a woman on her knees before him, a bored look on her face.

"How is it that he ended up overseeing this outpost?" she asked Vulpes, nodding in the direction of the balcony.

"Punishment, if you would believe it." He said, not bothering to look in the direction of the man.

"How?" she asked, disdain laced within her voice.

"He hasn't been promoted in years and his new station comes on the tailcoats of my victory. It is the greatest slap to the face Caesar could grant him."

"He seems to be taking it well." Her point made as a strangled groan cried out from the balcony above them.

"He's only trying to boast his abilities to men who have none. A failure of a power move, if any. A real man would have made the woman cry out, like that. She barely winced as he sheathed himself within her." Maximus felt a blush creep across her features at the idea of Vulpes attentiveness. She stood up, stretching as she turned away from him.

"I'm going to retire, for the night. Suddenly, this display has me seeking a less conscious state." He nodded up at her, looking back to the fire. "Vale." She said on a yawn and walked to her tent at the edge of the camp.

Once inside, she began dismounting her armor and placing it on a makeshift rack in the corner of her tent. She removed her boots, as well, leaving her in only a tunic and her bindings. After grabbing a bar of soap and wrapping it in a cloth, she extinguished the lantern illuminating her space and waited patiently by the entrance, listening for signs of people nearby. When it seemed clear, she ducked low and snuck out into the night, down to the river's edge.

Vulpes was restless. The sounds of the camps celebrations bled into his tent interrupting any attempt at sleep or leisure. Though his tent rested away from the center of camp, the persistent squeal of women and the grunts and cheers of men inspired a growing headache. He stepped outside of his tent, noticing that no light shone through the canvas of Maximus', envying them for being able to sleep through such noise. Not wanting to disturb them, he walked down to the shore and began walking down the river. Perhaps the fresh air and a night swim would help clear his head until he could return for rest.

A little over a half mile down the river, Vulpes heard movement ahead of him and quickly ducked behind a gathering of boulders close to the river's edge. After a moment, sure that he hadn't been spotted, he peeked out from behind the rocks and spotted someone in the water. He couldn't make out who they were or what their allegiance was in the dark, but continued to observe. From what he could see, the person was clearly bathing. Dipping below the water, periodically and rubbing a cloth across their body. As the cloud cover broke and the moon light was able to shine through, he was surprised to see the figure of a woman, before him. After the initial confusion of why a lone woman would be out here so close to legion territory, he surmised that she could just not know where she was, or even an NCR member from a nearby ranger station. The thought gave him pause and he took a moment to observe his surroundings, in case she wasn't alone. There was nobody else in sight. He turned his attention back to her, entranced by her muscular figure in a world with little resources to maintain one for her size. Her silhouette showed a gentle curve of small but perky breasts and a generous and tight posterior that rose above the water as she broke through its surface, slicking her short hair back out of her face. Aside from the light reflecting off of her cheekbones, the rest of her features were obscured by darkness.

Vulpes was conflicted as she waded back to shore, close to his hiding place. He could most likely capture her with ease, but would he want to keep her? He certainly wouldn't want any other man touching such a prize but he was too busy to condition and train a slave—which would make him a hypocrite based on what he had shared with Maximus. He had never been so conflicted over a woman before, and he knew nothing about her, including what she looked like up close. He felt foolish but was broken from his internal conflict as she began dressing herself, hiding her wonderful body from him as she pulled on a set of undergarments. His eyes trailed up her strong legs, appreciating the reflection of the moonlight along the striations of her musculature. His eye traveled upwards and he became confused as he watched her wrap a tight band around her breasts, flattening them and obscuring her figure. He was even more confused when she took a smaller band and wrapped it around her upper arm, tucking the edges under it to secure it in place. But, the most confusing of all was when she dressed in her final garment that swallowed her body and fell to her lower thigh, the unmistakable crimson tunic of Caesars Legion.

Very little had ever thrown Vulpes off. He could not recall a time that he had gasped, or slipped or faltered in any form of a reaction, but in that moment, a low intake of breath and the falling of gravel beneath his feet alerted her to his presence. It was only a moment of shock, but it was enough to give her a head start in running as she fled into the rocky landscape surrounding the river.

Maximus had heard movement near her and the unmistakable gasp of a man. Without her armor or weapons, she knew holding her ground was not wise. If it was NCR, she would die before being taken captive. She felt foolish at the risk she had taken, so sure she would be unnoticed as she had been so many times before. The gravel and rocks of the terrain she was sprinting on stung her feet but she would not slow. She climbed further up the bank and into the ridges hoping to lose anyone that may be pursuing her. When she came to a stop, hidden by the underbrush and boulders, she listened and watched for anyone following. Several moments passed, her heartbeat drummed violently in her ears making her doubt her ability to pick up on anything else. She forced herself to breathe slower, to calm her body down as she continued to observe.

An hour had passed before she came out of hiding and carefully slunk back to camp. The majority of men had retired, the few still awake were around the fire, far from her tent. After making sure the way was clear, she edged her tent and slipped inside without a sound. As the sound of her tent flap closing met her ears, a weight of stress had fallen off of her shoulders. She was safe. Breathing out a sigh of relief, she felt in the dark for her lantern and made quick work of lighting it. As soon as the space was illuminated, she turned and was met with the enraged visage of Vulpes. Tension filled the air between them as they squared off from across the tent. Locking eyes with him, she knew that he knew.

"Vul…" she began. But she did not know what to say.

"Do not use that name. You will address me by my full name or my rank. You will not dare speak out of familiarity with me." He growled, a tone she had never heard from him before.

"I'm sorry" she whispered, still at a loss for words.

"Sorry? Sorry is what you say when you misstep or speak out of turn. This? This is a crime against the legion and Caesar, himself!"

"What was I supposed to do?" she asked, voice raising to match his. "This is what I was raised to be!"

"Least you want anyone else to know of your crimes, I suggest you lower your voice, woman." he growled through clenched teeth. They glared at each other, jaws clenching and unclenching, both in defensive poses, waiting for the other to act. "We will return to Caesar and seek his council on the matter once our raiding parties return." He bit out, breaking the silence.

"They'll kill me" she said, with wide eyes. "Fuck, they won't just kill me, they'll drag it out, make an example of me."

"Perhaps, or maybe you'll be given a life of servitude for your lineage-there is no place for a woman within our armies." He said harshly.

"I served you well!"

"I cannot expect a woman to serve as anything more than a slave!"

"You can't be serious? Vul, it's me—"

"I said do not speak to me, like that!" he roared. Tears brimmed her eyes but she fought them back out of pride as she stared back at him, awestruck. "When the raiding parties return, you will board the raft back to the Fort. I will follow shortly after once my mission to the strip is complete and we will seek council. In the meantime, consider yourself demoted. You are no longer welcome within my ranks." He spat lowly before turning to leave the tent. Maximus collapsed to the ground as soon as the tent flap closed, accepting the inevitable she had been warned about her entire life.

Vulpes stormed back to his tent, anger and confusion clouding his every thought. He did not know how to process what he had discovered and felt it a personal failure for never having figured it out, to begin with. So many strange coincidences suddenly became clear as day, but did not help the fog that coated his mind. He would need a distraction before this way of thinking tore him apart. He changed his trajectory to the building hosting Aurelius and his priestesses, slamming open the door upon his arrival. Startled gasps and sleepy groans met his ears as the group of women sat up from their blankets and pillows, reminding him of a prewar harem he had once read about. The concept gave him a mild thrill, but it was fleeting, as his mind wandered to the body of Maximus shining in the moon light. He tried to break the thought.

"Who among you is a child of Caesar?" he demanded to the group. A look of confusion swept across the faces of many of the women. "The daughters of Caesar, who among you are his?" he demanded, again. This time, a handful of women raised their hands timidly. "Is there anybody else?" he asked, calmly, trying to make a decision. Only one more raised their hands, among the group. He took in their features, all light haired as both Caesars wife and concubine. "Tomorrow, you will return to the fort at first light. Do not allow any more of your blood to return." He stated, a threat to his voice. He looked across the group, a few faces nodding in agreement until his eyes landed on a small woman with delicate features, tanned skin, long hair and dark eyes. Nothing like Maximus. He gestured to her to rise and follow him. She nodded, both fear and excitement flashing across her features.

For two days, Maximus attempted to speak to Vulpes, hoping his temper had calmed and his bias had dissipated, but he refused to see her, going as far as stationing a guard outside of his tent to inform her that he was "indisposed" each time she came by. She would have to depart by sunset and the sinking feeling of dread plagued her every moment. The majority of her belongings had been packed and set aside. Anything that remained was to be shipped back by the slaves. She doubted anything would make it back once her true identity had been unveiled. With every jumbled thought mocking her for her carelessness, she could only think to write a letter to not only clear her head, but explain herself to the only person that mattered.

Vulpes,

This has never been easy. My greatest regret having lived this lie is that I could not share it with you. However, I do not regret what I have accomplished. The things I have endured to make it this far are more than I believe most men could bear. For that, I am proud. I have denied myself the pleasures of life, hiding myself and refusing the affections so seldom offered to me. Even in freedom, I would have denied them, for you are the only one I have ever wanted. Our friendship was the shining beacon upon which I relied to get through my darkest days and as those days grew longer, my love for you blossomed. Over the course of our lives, I have burned for you; stronger than any punishment I may face. For that, I will obey your request for me to return to the Fort. I will wait for you and I will face Caesar at your side, as you see fit.

Forgive me,

-Maximus

Maximus sealed the letter and tucked it into her armor before fixing her machete to her side and exiting the tent. As she walked across the camp to his tent, her thumb idly rubbed over the fox on her hilt. Her heart beat heavily in her ears, not unlike the night he had discovered her.

"Maximus!" she turned to see a decanus hailing her. She approached them, a formation of legionnaires preparing before him. "I heard about your rank." He said boldly. Her eyes squinted in annoyance, knowing it was an inevitable topic that would be spread. "I mean no insult, I only meant to extend an offer into my party." He quickly corrected.

"You fight under the Legate." She stated, plainly.

"And you fight under nobody, if my information is correct." He countered.

"I am to report back to the Fort for reassignment, but I will consider your offer, for now." She said, a half-truth. "Where are you going?"

"Nelson." She nodded and bid him Vale before heading back in the direction of Vulpes tent. Upon approaching, the guard held out his hand, an instruction for her to stop.

"Awe, Vulpes Inculta is currently—"

"Indisposed. I know. Just give this to him, for me." She snapped pulling out her letter and handing it to him, before turning and heading back to her tent to retrieve her pack. She hadn't even noticed that her head was hung low until she ran her shoulder into another man. Recovering, in passing, she apologized lowly as she looked back at him as he kept walking next to another legionnaire. She turned back towards her tent, ignoring the situation before looking back at the men, something seeming off. They approached Vulpes tent and were granted access making her temper flair. As they entered, she noticed their armor and realized what was wrong. They wore the garments of a recruit and a vexilarius but the recruit was wearing a coyote cowl, the vexilarius head was bare. Something was wrong. She ran back to the tent, ignoring the guard as he once again told her Vulpes was indisposed. Upon entering, she drew her blade and brought it out just in time to block the blade of the man she ran into as he brought it down on the lying form of Vulpes. Quickly, recovering, he swung out at her, barely missing as she dodged and kicked out forcing him to fall back and shatter a table centered in the living space. The second man swung his own blade at her, but was less skilled and easily dispatched, blood streaking across the canvas behind him as his body fell to the floor. The stinging pain of iron meeting flesh brought her attention back to the first man as he sliced across her upper arm. With a deep scream, she drew back and struck at him, knocking him back. Unrelenting, she continued to strike, even after his weapon was knocked from his hands and his body lied in bloody ribbons, she did not stop until the strength in her arms gave out and the pain had won. Panting and covered in blood, she reached down and into the tunic of one of the men and ripped from his body a pair of NCR dog tags. She stood, turning to Vulpes.

"They were NCR, sent to assassinate…" she stopped at the sight before her. Vulpes laid naked, his body shielding that of an equally nude woman. Her breath caught in her throat for a moment, unable to hide the hurt and shock on her face as her machete dropped to the floor beside her. The sound of it hitting the ground brought her back and she quickly steeled her features, locking eyes with Vulpes. He was unreadable. "Indisposed, indeed." She said with a raised eyebrow. "It seems they were sent to assassinate you. It's a shame that a woman couldn't protect you" she bit out, her chin nodding at the woman. She tossed the dog tags at him, now coated in a mixture of blood from the assassin and the free flowing wound on her arm. The woman screamed, wincing away. Wanting to witness no more, she turned and stalked out of his tent and back to hers. Ignoring the urgent demands for explanation from those around her.

As she entered her tent, she sat down and pulled the sleeve of her tunic back and removed the binding already placed over her scar, revealing a cut clean across it bleeding profusely. She mechanically began to clean and dress it, leaving the bloody rags and gauze on the table before her. Unable to stop moving, she gathered her pack and marched back out into the camp. Chaos was still unfolding at Vulpes tent across the way which made it easy to slip into the group of men marching out to Nelson.

"Maximus." A voice said from beside her.

"Dead Sea." She acknowledged.

"I thought you were returning to the fort for reassignment?" he asked with a raised eyebrow not questioning the blood that coated her.

"I had a change of heart. Perhaps war will do me some good."

"Do you plan to win with your bare hands?" he asked amused.

"It appears I am at a disadvantage" she looked around, walking a few feet away from the group for a moment and plucked a spear out of a nearby practice target before returning. "And now it appears I am a ranged weapons specialist." She said, rejoining Dead Sea as they continued marching out of Cotton Wood Cove.


	8. Chapter 8: Withholding

Once Maximus had stormed out, Vulpes dismissed the priestess with nothing more than a cold "get out" before dressing himself. He stared down at the bodies on his floor, annoyed at the blood that covered his belongings, but even more annoyed at the urgent calls of men checking on him. He allowed a few men in to remove the bodies, ignoring the growing crowd outside his tent. He picked up the blade he had gifted Maximus and stared at it for a long while before sitting down in a chair that had not been destroyed during the fight and began cleaning it. The methodical process calmed him.

"Sir, is there anything more you require of us? Slaves to clean up the wreckage?" the guard called to him from outside.

"Yes. Bring me Maximus." He directed.

"Right away, sir." After a moment, Vulpes sighed, his confliction wearing on him. He absentmindedly stroked his thumb over the metal fox on the hilt, now clean of blood and shining in the low light. Several minutes passed as he did this until the guard returned. "Sir, Maximus appears to have departed. Their belongings have been packed and set aside for retrieval. I do have a letter for you, though."

"Bring it in." he said, fighting not to sound exasperated. The guard entered, letter in hand. "He was wounded, is there news of him getting treatment before he left?" he asked, taking the letter.

"I have not checked with our healer, but there were several bloodied bandages left within the tent. I would think he treated himself."

"That tends to be the case…" he said, the familiarity of the statement bringing up unfamiliar emotions, confusing and distracting him.

"The slaves sir, should I retrieve them to clean this up?" he said gesturing to the destruction before them.

"No. I leave tonight, have them come once I've departed. Pack my belongings and have them returned to the Fort. Leave me." He said in a daze, no weight to his words. The guard walked out and Vulpes stared down at the letter, his thumb still stroking over the hilt of the machete. After another sigh, he brought himself to open it. Once he was done reading it and rereading it and memorizing its contents, he stood and finished getting dressed. He reached into the drawer of his desk and pulled out a gold medallion, the Mark of Caesar, tucking it into his pack before shouldering it.

Stepping outside, he steeled his expression, daring anyone to disturb him as he took his leave. As he walked through camp, he crumbled up the letter and tossed it into the fire, making sure to watch the whole thing burn to ash. Once he was satisfied, he departed to New Vegas hoping to make quick work of recruiting the courier.

"Almost a week passed before Vulpes could return to the Fort, but he was relieved when the Courser Lucullus docked the raft he rode in on. He marched up the path to the central camp, most making room for him to pass, very few nodding their head in acknowledgment. The benefit of being feared was little interruption and fewer pleasantries. Upon reaching the peak of the camp, Vulpes made a beeline for his tent, glancing at Maximus' next to his for signs of her. Her, he mused as he entered his tent and began putting his gear away. He shook away his thoughts, preparing himself for an audience with Caesar with both the truth of Maximus and the news of the courier in mind. He exited his tent and walked over to retrieve Maximus. There was no answer when he called to her. He opened the flaps to her tent and peered inside. Bundles and packs were placed in various places, but there was no sign of her residing in the space. He grew weary. Had they found out before he could come? He could waste no more time, word of his arrival would have reached Caesar, by now.

He walked in on a strategy meeting when he entered Caesar's tent. Lucius motioned him over as a debate was being had between a centurion and a member of his frumentarii. It was in regards to the falling of Nelson, he gathered as they both vehemently pointed to the camp on the map before them.

"I see Dead Sea was successful?" he asked, as he settled in to the right of Caesar.

"Thanks to you." Caesar, said heartily.

"I don't follow." He stated in a neutral tone.

"Your demotion of Maximus, whatever the fuck that was about. It appears he's joined the ranks of the Legate and lead quite the campaign on Nelson. I should crucify Dead Sea for neglecting to strategize himself, but I need someone to oversee our new hold."

"This is good news." He stated, his tone not betraying his shock.

"Speaking of good news, what do you bring me from New Vegas?" Caesar asked.

"The courier, she has accepted your mark and is on her way here, now. I trailed her for several days, just to make sure."

"Excellent. Put off any further traveling, I will need you here when she arrives."

"My lord, I am of no importance. I thought you wanted me to oversee our 'treaty' with the Great Khans?"

"Nonsense. You already have one of your men residing with them, those bastards will be plenty happy with the attention they are already being paid. Go afterwards. For now, the courier is familiar with you and that should be enough to sway them to our side. And if it doesn't" he leaned in with a suggestive look. "I'm sure you can use your charms in other manners." Vulpes gave a sly grin, in response, but the usual thrill at the suggestion of utilizing his skills was not present. Repulsion settled low in his gut.


	9. Chapter 9: Following orders

Word of Maximus' success in war and raiding parties spread like wild fire. Those that did not know her name knew of the man with the scar of a bisected fox head and their many accomplishments across the Mojave. She no longer hid the shame of her scar as she was no longer in the presence of the man it represented. To anyone unfamiliar with her affiliation with the Frumentarii and its terrifying leader, she was simply a force to be reckoned with, jumping from raiding party to raiding party with no true commander. Normally, this was frowned upon, but her resilience and apparent dedication to the Legion kept her from being called home for rest. In so many words, Caesar was pleased with the man he believed her to be and included his blessings for her continuation on her war path in his orders.

Her hair had grown long over the past few months, since she had left Cotton Wood cove. It was now fashioned as other high ranking members of the legion, flowing loose save for the upper half pulled back away from her face by a small leather tie. At first, the fear of appearing too feminine had deterred her from allowing it to grow, but now that she no longer needed to blend in with the civilians of the Mojave, she braved the style as a status symbol of her accomplishments.

It was still unknown to her why Vulpes had not outted her identity. At first, she let her fear guide her, living each day recklessly as if she would be dragged back to the fort and killed at any moment. This had gone on for weeks; the distraction of conquering and destruction a welcomed reprieve. When the fear subsided, hope had blossomed and she foolishly believed Vulpes possibly had a change of heart and would welcome her back as if nothing had changed. She led a campaign shortly after, eliminating the NCR population of Helios One with the flip of a switch while she commanded her men to remain outside to slaughter those that fled. She felt that Vulpes would be proud of her and would tease her for how many times she had complained as he taught her about computers in secret. She returned to the new Legion outpost at Red Rock Canyon with her contibernium and settled next to a fire once she had placed her things within her tent, not trusting to remove her armor among the Great Khans. As the night went on, she noticed men staring at her, but they would look away when she turned in their direction. At first, she thought she was just being paranoid, but the longer she sat, the more men she noticed. From the corner of her eye, she watched a man standing next to her tent, unmoving for about an hour, never quite looking at her, but never turning from her direction. When she looked up and he was no longer there, she knew he had entered her tent. She carefully looked around, trying not to appear as if she knew something and saw more men diverting their eyes. When she looked back to her tent, a man was walking away from it. Nearby torches illuminated him just enough for her to identify him as Alerio, one of Vulpes most trusted Frumentarii. She no longer had any doubt that she was being watched. The bubble of hope she had been living in had burst, replaced with a cold anger. Vulpes wouldn't bring accusations of her identity without immediate proof. He was methodical and did nothing by half measures. He was tracking her so that he could bring her home and force her before Caesar to admit to her sins, she concluded. She stood, stretched as if she were tired and walked towards the dining tent. She grabbed a small selection of cured meats, wrapped them in a cloth and tucked them into her belt before calmly walking away from the camp. When she felt she had made it far enough, she bolted into the night, hoping to lose anyone that followed. Several more weeks passed as she bounced between camps and parties, her anger fueling her victories until she had become numb. This is how she would live out her life, as a coward, pathetically carrying a torch for a man who despised her, pretending to be something she isn't, alone. Alone. Unlike Vulpes the night she fled. The thought made her ache until she didn't feel anymore. Each raid left her with no sense of accomplishment. Every life she took, even those of the NCR snipers of Novac or the soldiers of Bitter Springs brought her no joy. She went for larger targets, hoping to feel something, but even after leading a successful charge against Camp Forelorn Hope, she only felt pain from a bullet wound in her thigh. With word of their victory, those involved in the fall of the Camp were ordered to return to Red Rock Canyon to be rewarded for their efforts. She could not ignore an order.


	10. Chapter 10: Profligate

The march into the canyon felt endless. Over five-hundred men from different war parties gathered towards the bottleneck of the entrance and made their way in. Drum beats could be heard throughout the canyon as the men were welcomed with a celebration. A podium had been erected on the highest ridge where the leaders of the Great Khans resided. The men gathered below it as they waited for everyone behind them to catch up. Vulpes stood on the podium looking over the crowd that was growing as those residing within the canyon joined in. Both men and women of the Great Khans joined at the side lines, the celebration not only for the victories of the Legion, but also for the finalization of the alliance formed between the two factions. Vulpes scanned the crowd, until his eyes landed on her. Maximus was one of the last to march into the canyon. Though her hair was now long, her armor had changed and she now carried a spear, he could not mistake her for any other. Her shoulders were drawn back and her head was held high but no expression showed on her face. She looked up and their eyes met. Her face did not change, he could not read her and though he did not show it, it confused him. His gaze remained locked on her until Papa Khan prompted him to begin the ceremony that would unite their forces. After turning to address the rest of the crowd, he looked back to find her gone.

Maximus slipped away unnoticed as the crowd hung on to every word Vulpes spoke. She made it to a grouping of tents that were set aside for those of higher rank and claimed one as her own. It was more spacious than she could have asked for, though she no longer owned anything to fill it. It had what appeared to be a comfortable queen sized bed, a water basin with a mirror for grooming, a selection of furniture, and finally a fireplace. She could not imagine the effort it took to construct several of these. She walked over to a wardrobe and opened it to find several plain tunics. Another drawer revealed delicate women's clothing. The final drawer contained items that made her blush, but did not shock her: bindings, riding crops, blind folds and an assortment of other tools for pleasure. She looked over to the bed and now understood why it was so big. The celebration was not meant to end outside. Her mind flitted to Vulpes for only a moment, enraging her as an image of him from the night she left flashed before her. As she slammed the drawer shut, the force slightly opened the drawer containing the women's clothes and an idea struck. It could possibly be her last day alive and she had yet to ever try to be a woman.

Within the drawer, she found several sets of lingerie but settled on a simple pair of black panties not wanting to constrict her chest with bindings or a bra. There were a few prewar dresses in different styles, but one that stood out to her was fashioned as the priestesses wear, meant to be draped over a single shoulder as delicate and light layers of purple fabric fell to floor length. She had seen the origin of the style in one of Vulpes books he had lent her on Old Rome. After quickly bathing at the basin, she let the dress envelope her and was thankful for the single sleeve as she was sure her build would not allow her to fit into an otherwise full dress. A nervous energy filled her as she moved to the mirror and took in the sight. It was alien. As a frumentarii, she had always appreciated what a simple change of clothes could do for altering ones appearance, but this was beyond anything she had done before. She took her leather hair tie and proceeded to pull all of her hair up into a loose bun that allowed tendrils to fall around her face. She felt….pretty. The beat of drums picked up outside, signaling the end of the ceremony and the beginning of the evenings feast. Her heart beat picked up. She pulled her knife from her armor and used it to slice a strip of fabric from one of the layers underneath the dress and wound it around her arm to hide her scar. The tied ends hung down her arm, complementing the flow of the dress. She looked like a brand new person. After months of being away from the fort and alienating herself, she was confident that nobody would truly recognize her aside from the one man who already knew. If she stayed among the Great Khans and their many women, the Legion soldiers would be none the wiser. For one night, she could be free. She slipped out and merged with the crowd.

Vulpes stayed with the Great Khan leaders for as long as he was required, relieved when their attentions were turned towards women sent to entertain them. Taking his leave, he wandered around the crowd of men, scanning it for Maximus. After she had disappeared, several men were called to the platform to receive Caesars favor for their performance in battle, but when her name was called, she did not come. His irritation had flared at her disrespect and cowardice as he sought her out. After touring the many tents dedicated to the feast and finding no trace of her, he checked in with Alerio who had not seen sight of them. Though the roar of celebration was loud, the men of the Legion could not compare to the volume of the Great Khans who were unknowingly consuming their last vices before the war, for once it was over, they would be truly assimilated under Legion law. The thought gave him pause. He turned in the direction of the loudest tent and made his way inside.

The stench of alcohol and chems burned his nose. It was similar to that of Gomorrah but somehow more humid. His eyes flitted around the tent as he walked it's perimeter, disguising his sneer with boredom. There were very few men in crimson tunics present and their company only lasted long enough to engage a woman and leave with them. None of them were Maximus. As he was about to leave, a familiar laugh caught his attention and he turned to see a man with a woman seated across his lap. He couldn't see either of their faces until the woman leaned back to grab something from another mans hand. The face of the man was revealed and defeat washed over Vulpes. His irritation grew. The woman turned her head and took a swig out of a bottle that had been handed to her. When she put the bottle down, cold realization washed over Vulpes as her face became clear. Before him, Maximus was dressed as he had never seen, nor imagined. He stalked up to her, ripping her arm from around the man's neck all the while glaring at him in challenge. The Khan raised his arms in surrender and allowed him to extract an intoxicated Maximus from his lap. At first she was surprised but quickly recovered with anger as she moved to lash out at whoever yanked her away from her seat. She stopped dead upon seeing his face, the ridge of her brow lowering just so before she made a poor attempt at schooling her features. She bowed her shoulders back, held her head higher and raised her brow at him.

"Vul." She said, as if in a passing greeting. His nostrils flared in anger. He grabbed her by her upper arm and dragged her from the tent. It was easier than he anticipated and he soon realized how intoxicated she must be for it to be possible. His grip on her arm tightened. She did not cry out, but he knew he was hurting her. Nobody paid attention as they made their way around the perimeter of the camp as several men were occupied with giggling women in tow. He pulled them further into the canyon until he found an alcove they wouldn't be seen nor heard in. He made quick work of slamming her into the rock wall, both of his hands at her shoulders.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" he hissed.

"Celebrating, my master frumentarius. Though, I would think you of all people would be able to pick up on that. It's your _job_ , after all.", she bit out airily.

"You would do well to remember your place, _woman."_ he sneered.

"I was demoted from my _place_ , if you don't remember. I surely do!" she said as she fought against his hold on her. He slammed her back into the wall.

"You should be scourged for your ever growing list of crimes. A demotion was kindness. Now, you're consuming intoxicants with chem dealing profligates while draping yourself over them as a whore would! Is this what you've spent the past few months occupying your time with? Acclimating to the lifestyle of the woman you truly are?" She head butted him. The satisfying crunch of a broken nose did not grace her ears, but a trail of blood running from his split lip was almost enough to make her smile. Almost. He drew back, his hands still pinning her at the shoulders knowing what would come next. She tried to swing out.

"How _dare_ you!" she screamed as she attempted to lunge for him. His body weight and stance held her in place. A dangerous expression set on his face she was sure mirrored her own. She lunged again, unsuccessfully. "You don't fucking get it!" she was beyond reasonable banter and negotiation. Her emotions betrayed her rationality. "After a lifetime of servitude and dedication, this is what you chalk me up to—as if I never meant _anything_ to you! As if I never meant anything to the Legion!" She tried again, his body still pinning her, but remaining out of shot for her attacks. "All I've ever done is served and now because I celebrate what I know is my last day of freedom in a manner that you do frequently in Vegas, you write me off as if I am _nothing!_ How DARE you!" At her last word, she kicked out from the rock facing, catching Vulpes below his diaphragm, knocking the wind out of him. He dropped to the ground and she took off running. He caught her by her ankle and she fell to the ground hard, scraping her face on the gravel. She kicked back blindly, her heel catching his temple. He went limp. For a moment, she laid there looking at him, panting, unable to believe she had incapacitated him so easily. His breathing was evening out, he was still alive. She extracted her ankle from his hand and quickly ran back to camp leaving him behind.

Back at her tent, she looked like any other woman warming the bed of a legionnaire. Inside, she quickly stripped her dress off and threw it into the fire before redressing in her tunic and throwing on her armor. She pulled her hair down and moved in front of the mirror and was met with her bloody face and disheveled hair. She unwrapped the purple fabric from around her and tied her hair up into a high ponytail to keep it out of the way as she cleaned the abrasions on her face. It was a rushed process, but it was enough to not look suspicious if someone were to see her. She looked almost normal with the exception of her hair so she grabbed her knife and hastily cut her ponytail off at the base, letting it fall to the floor. After a few cuts to make it look less hurried, she checked herself in the mirror. Once again, a man stared back at her. Angry tears welled in her eyes as she blamed the intoxicants for her emotional state. Her fist slammed into the mirror, shattering the visage before her before she grabbed her pack and ducked out of the tent.

Vulpes rose from the ground, ignoring the pounding in his head as he assessed the damage to his person. He wiped from his face blood and the sand that stuck to it, knowing he looked like hell. He hadn't expected her to kick at him, it had never been her style, but after months of being under the tutelage of others, he should have been prepared. He cursed himself as he ran back to camp. Upon arriving at the edge, he slipped into a small tent thankful that it was unoccupied and moved to the basin to wash his face of blood. Upon seeing his reflection, his anger was reignited. A large split bisected the right side of his lower lip which had swelled substantially. He couldn't be seen in such a state. He riffled through the tent until he found what he needed; a stimpack. He pinched the skin and inserted the needle before depressing the plunger half way, knowing he didn't want nor need a full pack. The medicine was banned, but for his position, he would make an exception as he would expect any of his men to do. He stared at his reflection as his skin knit itself back together and the swelling decreased until only a small white line remained. In a few hours, even that would have disappeared. He stormed back outside towards the officer tents, knowing she had to have claimed one earlier in the evening. Alerio ran up to him once realizing the urgency in his gate. He ordered him to search tents until the woman in the purple dress was found but only a few minutes later called off the search after ducking his head into a tent and seeing the destruction inside. It had to be hers. He ordered his men to the entrance of the canyon, not telling them why but instructing them to learn of Maximus' whereabouts as he inspected the tent.

The first thing he noticed when he walked back inside was the fireplace and the charred remains of purple silk hanging slightly out of the opening. It was her tent. On the floor he found the wrap she had concealed her scar with wrapped around her hair. He picked it up from the floor, allowing the hair to spill from it as he inspected it. She would look like her old self, now. When he looked up, he saw the shattered mirror with a light smattering of blood where the impact was strongest. She was injured, yet again. No other signs of her remained. Her armor was gone, her pack missing, as well. She had fled once more. For a moment, he allowed his shoulders to drop with an inaudible sigh as he looked down at the fabric in his hand. He lifted it to his face and breathed in, closing his eyes as he experienced the smoky and sweet smell of her. Conflict rose at how familiar it was to him, a comforting smell of a lifelong friend as well as a complete stranger. He tucked ribbon of fabric away before heading outside to gather reports from his men.

"He departed a little over an hour ago. It seems he is heading to the Legate's camp to assist in the war efforts." Vulpes heart sunk.

"Have you learned anything of the woman?" Alerio questioned.

"No. It isn't of importance. I believed her to be trying to compromise Maximus. It seems I was mistaken." He stated, as a relieved man would. Inside, he was seething.

"Compromise, sir?"

"As any profligate of this disgusting tribe would do. Again, it isn't of importance." He bit out, dismissing his men. He returned to the tent and destroyed any remaining evidence of the woman in the purple dress.


	11. Chapter 11: Mars

After a week of travel, Maximus reached the Legate's camp and entered with trepidation. She did not know how she would be received. She did not know if he was aware of her conquests or if he had any interest in her fighting under his name, since she was dismissed from her former rank. The further into the camp she walked, the more doubtful she felt about her choice to offer herself in the coming battle.

Approaching his tent in the middle of the camp, she squared her shoulders and forced herself to walk that much taller, knowing the man would dwarf her. She hadn't seen him in years, but she vividly remembered why he was given the title 'Monster of the East'. Without leaving herself time to panic, she entered his tent.

Inside, her eyes took a moment to adjust to the dim light coming through the canvas walls before landing on a single large presence sat in a corner. The sound of a whet stone being slowly dragged along metal rhythmically met her ears. As Maximus got closer, making her presence known, the noise only faltered for a moment before resuming the grating pattern. Before her sat Lanius, his armor and mask made dull by the low light. Even sat hunched over, his hulking form made her feel like a child. The blade of the East laid across his lap as he sharpened it. He did not look up at her.

"So, the foxes bitch decides he wants to play soldier?" he asked. Maximus did not humor him with a response, only puffing out her chest that much more. "Tell me, how does it feel to be a real man, now that you've left the cowards ranks?"

"I feel I've learned a lot about myself" she responded, noncommittally. "It is good to know I can serve Caesar in more than one manner."

"And now you feel you are worthy of serving me?"

"If I am unworthy of serving you, I am unworthy of serving Caesar. It is his favor that was bestowed upon me, so—"

"Pretty words will do you no good, here! Choose your next ones carefully." He paused his work, silence settling upon the tent.

"I do", she proclaimed. He did not respond immediately. He ran his finger along the edge of the blade before turning it over in a manner that could only be described as gentle, coming from such a man. He resumed his task, the sound once again offering a reprieve among the tension of silence.

"Your blood shed has not gone unnoticed, especially from a whelp such as you. But as I recall, your father was much the same and still managed to bring shame to Caesar."

"Do you carry the shame of the Hangdogs?", she dared to question. He paused his movements and slowly looked up at her. The hollow eyes of his mask too dark for her to meet his gaze properly.

"I eradicated them and any shame they could have stained me with." He stated dangerously.

"The Malpais Legate is no more, much as the Hangdogs are no more. Do not imply that his failure is my burden." He stood, dropping the whet stone to the ground and allowing his sword to swing to his side. She did not move, only allowing her eyes to follow him to his full height. He stepped before her, crowding her personal space. His hand quickly reached out to grab her arm, yanking it forward so he could get a better look at her scar.

"When I am Caesar, you will remove this either by fire or by blade. You will not tarnish my empire with the mark of a liar." He stated lowly.

"When you are Caesar?", she questioned, slowly.

"The Mighty Caesar is plagued with headaches and frequents his chambers more and more. Soon, he will return to the Gods."

"And Vulpes?"

"He is not the true heir of Caesar. The blood of Mars does not flow in his veins. When the time comes, he will die by my hand, his men exiled to the wastes. It appears the stars have aligned in your favor, for you will be spared. Fight by my side, among your brothers and earn your place in my empire."

"You speak so openly as if this is not treason." She whispers, her stomach twisting in knots.

"I am not overthrowing Caesar! I have sacrificed nearly every slave I have to appease the Gods and heal him, but he has only worsened. When he is gone, I will fuck every last one of his daughters and produce heirs that truly possess the blood of Mars and bring upon us a lasting lineage worthy of ruling the Legion. My rule will be but a brief lifetime, but I will spend it conquering the west and laying a path of blood and bone for them to walk upon." He slowly tightened his grip on her arm. She felt as if her bone would snap but did not give any indication of pain. Her eyes bore into the hollow ones of the mask until he let go and stepped back. "We attack the dam in a week's time. Prepare yourself." He said before sitting back down and hoisting his blade across his knees.

"The remaining forces along with the Khans will be here within a couple of days. Why do we wait, so long?"

"You speak too much, like the deceiver who cast you aside. Perhaps you should remedy that when you are in my presence." He growled.

"If I am to follow you, it will not be blindly. I only wish to gain insight into how you strategize. How am I to learn if you will not teach me?" she implored, playing to his ego. He considered her, for a moment.

"There is a courier Caesar employed, she is to assist in the assassination of the NCR's president. Though I wish to attack now, Caesar believes the loss will dishearten the NCR in the battle to come. Once it is done, we may move forward."

"I find it odd that a woman is working among us, how did Caesar convince her to join the legion?"

"Vulpes, for all his trickery seems to have served some purpose. He played to her weaknesses and seduced her, making her believe she can live among us as a free woman." He stated with a small chuckle. It was an unsettling sound coming from him.

"Surely, she could deduce that there is no promise of that?" she asked, trying not to let her jealousy cloud her resolve.

"She will be married off to Vulpes as a gift for his efforts in capturing New Vegas. Once he has fallen to my blade, she will warm my bed." A numbing cold settled over her body as she absorbed this information. She simply nods once in response. His attention returns to his blade. She turns to leave. "In three days, there will be a strategy meeting at dawn. Train in the meantime. Do not sully this opportunity."

"Yes, Legate." She responds evenly before leaving his tent.

Vulpes entered Caesar's private quarters, his usual façade masking his disappointment in Caesar's state. The auto doc he had scavenged parts for was unable to perform as needed and the doctor the courier had gifted him was equally unqualified. Anyone who looked upon him would know he would soon pass, so Lucius had insisted only Vulpes and himself have access to his chambers. Additional fabrics had been hung along the walls and ceiling to further darken the room. The Praetorian Guard was ordered to silence and admitted no visitors. The majority of advisors had already left for the Legates camp. All that remained were enough slaves and soldiers to defend the Fort, if needed. They were graciously undisturbed. He gently set a chair next to Caesar's bedside before sitting down, curious to his summons. Caesar lifted a cold cloth from his eyes and turned to Vulpes.

"Lucius, leave us." He called. Lucius looked to Vulpes before stepping out.

"You called for me, my lord?" Vulpes asked in a low voice as not to cause him any more pain.

"I want an update on the courier. Was she able to sway the tribals of Nellis?"

"Yes, my lord. We will have their fire power from the ground as well as function to our howitzer outside, but the plane they were working on will not be repaired in time." He made a pleased humming noise in response.

"Where is she now?"

"She and Cato are preparing for the assassination of President Kimball, as we speak."

"She really does get results…" he pondered out loud. He laid silent for a few moments lost in thought before his eye met Vulpes, once more. "I was going to wait until the fall of New Vegas, but I don't know how much longer I will be around." Vulpes did not deny his mortality, though he would not argue it, either. He sat, waiting for him to continue. "She is my gift to you." A blink, was the only sign of him faltering at the news.

"My lord?" he asked hesitantly.

"A wife, Vulpes. Soon, you will be Caesar and you will need to produce heirs. That woman has bent over backwards at your every request just to please you. She sure as hell isn't doing any of it for me. She would do well at your side and I get to keep my word in regards to not enslaving her. I've already informed her and she was more than elated to accept." He said as he managed a wolfish grin.

"My lord, I am gracious for your gift, but I don't think it necessary. I would do all of this without prize. Perhaps Lanius would be more suited?"

"Lanius?" he scoffed. "He would blind her the moment they were alone. She would be dead within the week. It would be a waste. He will be getting his pick of the surviving NCR women, instead. I had half the mind to offer her to Maximus, but I fear he may soon fall."

"What do you mean?" he asked, unable to disguise the urgency in his voice.

"The Legate has chosen him to lead the first wave on the dam."

"Surely, you must realize why?" he hissed.

"Regardless of his reasons, Maximus has proven to be a capable fighter and an adaptive leader. The devastation he can bring to the initial attack, alone is reason enough. Changing plans this close to battle would only cause chaos and compromise our efforts."

"My lord-"

"Enough. My head is fucking killing me. Win the battle, marry the girl and prepare to rule over the west. Those are your orders." Vulpes paused and sucked in a slow breath, calming himself.

"Yes, my lord." he replied, standing.

"Leave me. I need to rest." he stated before placing the damp cloth back over his eyes.

"Vale, pater."

Vulpes stepped out of Caesars chambers and into the heart of the tent, beckoning Lucius to the side, away from the guards ears.

"If he does not wake, do not alert anyone until after the fall of the dam. You will continue as you have. I trust you to run the Fort, in his stead. Send a messenger to me with word of my upcoming marriage as a signal of what has happened." Lucius nodded in understanding.

"Are you leaving so early to strike at New Vegas?"

"No. I'll be joining the Legate."


	12. Chapter 12: Mimic

In the early morning hours, before the sun broke the horizon in two, Maximus marched through the pouring rain leading to the dam. Mud clung to her boots, threatening to suck her into the earth. She cursed the war drums announcing their arrival, though mostly dulled by the storm, it would have been the perfect cover for a surprise attack. It was the Legates pride that led them to what she knew would be a slaughter. As they crossed over a high ridge, she could see the dam faintly, almost blending in with the grey of the clouds and rain, only made visible by the lights shone upon it. The NCR would have been smart to black it out. She halted her men.

Taking time to observe the scene below her, she had only moments to decide a plan of action. Though she had orders from Lanius himself, she would rather die as the burned man had, than risk sacrificing her entire unit for a formation she had no faith in. But, sacrifices would have to be made. She continued the march.

Lanius would not join until the end of the attack, during the third wave. It wasn't questioned by anyone in his council and any argument Maximus made, was met with threats. It wasn't that she disagreed with the formation itself, it was the method in which he would execute it: send in the recruits, first. Maximus was given an entire army of inexperienced and untested soldiers that just skirted the line of being able to be called "men", both Legion and Great Khan's, alike. Lanius believed her to be unassuming of his plans, but she knew that this was a culling—a means of ridding himself of those he found weak, a means of fooling the NCR into a false sense of hope before being decimated by their true forces. He was foolish to place her at the front.

When she reached a break in her path which would lead them directly to the dam, she split her unit, sending the Khans ahead as an unknowing distraction as she rallied her men for the real fight. She knew the hypocrisy of her plan, but with so little time, the profligates of Red Rock would have to fall in her stead.

From his own vantage point in an NCR snipers nest, Vulpes watched the flash of gun fire break through the rain. The attack had begun. He peered down through his scope, the lenses of the ranger helmet he donned, helping him spot the differences of those warring below. The body of the ranger the gear belonged to laid bleeding at his side. He fired off a round, sinking an NCR soldier close enough to the battle to not raise suspicion. Every few moments, he would sweep his gaze across the warring parties searching for Maximus before firing and taking another life. By the time the second wave attacked, the Khans almost entirely eliminated, Vulpes wasn't sure if he should be relived or frightened by Maximus' absence. It was unlike her to cower, whether that be from his own experience with her or from the stories he's heard after her…departure from his ranks.

Dozens of Legionnaires flooded onto the field, pushing the front line to the middle of the dam, itself. From here, Vulpes was able to take more direct shots at higher ranking officers. If they pushed back any further, he would have a proper shot at General Oliver who was hiding behind rows of sandbags and his own men. As easy as it would have been to eliminate him, he couldn't risk giving up his location

Maximus sent her men out as soon as the second wave had begun, holding only a handful back to join in on the third wave. Though she felt a tinge of guilt at waiting to join, herself, she knew she would be a more use in the final attack. There was no need to sacrifice herself before she could guarantee Vulpes safety. He could kill her himself when this was all over, for all she cared, so long as he was alive.

The beat of the war drums increased, announcing the approach of the Legate. The sun had risen and just barely broke through the clouds, illuminating everything in a dull brownish gray as the rain began to dissipate. It was a sickly sight. As he approached the dam running, centered among his men, the Blade of the East swaying in his grasp, the sound of howitzers broke the air. Whistles followed by explosions on the NCR side of the dam ignited near the rock face, strategically aimed not to damage the dam, itself. Dirt and ash rose in clouds, masking the devastation that followed. With one final chance, Vulpes swept his scope across the battle and finally spotted Maximus, their spear deeply embedded in an NCR soldier as bodies littered the ground before her. With a sigh of relief, he quickly evacuated his post for fear of being bombed.

When he reached the ground, Vulpes ducked behind a pile of rubble and skirted along the walls of the dam, keeping an eye on the Legion, least they fire at him by mistake. He removed the ranger helmet, happy to be breathing fresh air, regardless of the dust he could taste as he controlled his breaths. The dam was nearly overrun, the remaining NCR fleeing further to their side. He pulled out his scoped .44 and began firing at those trying to retreat. One by one the bodies fell and as the Legion caught up to him, he shed the Ranger duster to reveal his Legion crimson. The howitzers fired again, raining down hell upon the opposing side. They were almost too close as the ground shook and sent several men to their knees to maintain balance. The large form of Lanius was unaffected as his powerful gait brought him to the front of the battle, his sword quickly dispatching any living enemies before him. As the dust began to settled once more, the retreating form of General Oliver froze at the sight of the Monster of the East. The gun he held clattered to ground, his shaking hands unable to hold it. All went silent and still, save for the groans of the dying. Those remaining behind the General dropped their weapons, taking his cowardice as a signal of surrender.

"Recognize" the booming voice of Lanius broke above the silence. "That on this day, Mars has blessed our forces and cleansed this land with the blood of our enemies. As the NCR have fallen, Caesar rises as the rightful ruler of the West." The pause that follows is heavy, the horror on the faces of the defeated becoming more prominently featured. "Bow, and accept your fate!" His voice boomed, causing those of either faction to flinch in fear. With one mighty swing, the body of Oliver was cleaved in two, from shoulder to hip. "Or meet his, instead!" Everyone remaining dropped to their knees. Lanius turned to his army, his sword held above him as he bellowed a victory cry, the men before him joined, their weapons too, rose above them. Until his mask turned in the direction of Vulpes. His sword slowly lowered to his side as the cries died down.

"Vulpes Inculta!" the déjà vu of having his name sung in malice was not a pleasant feeling. "New Vegas is slated next to fall, and still you stand before us as if your mission is complete." He stated as he stepped towards him.

"That is because it has already fallen." He stated simply, as Lanius stopped to stand before him. A confused whisper spread throughout the crowd but soon stopped as Lanius spoke, again.

"Lord Caesar did not want deviation from his plans. You went against his will—for the second time!"

"Lord Caesar succumbed to his sickness, days ago. The son of Mars has returned home. He did not want news of his death to sully a victory before it came to fruition. I stand before you, the new Caesar." He stated, evenly. The whispering began again, but only briefly as the men before him also dropped to their knees in recognition. Hundreds adorned in Legion colors, blended in with the blood stained ground creating an ocean of Crimson before him, stretching well past the dam. All but Lanius.

"You are no Caesar!" he stated boldly before grabbing Vulpes and lifting him by his throat. A gasp broke out among the masses. Some stood, while other remained shocked still, not knowing what to do. Vulpes grabbed onto Lanius' wrists at an attempt to lessen the stress on his throat, but his grip only tightened. He gritted his teeth and willed himself to calm down and save his breath, but he knew the loss of blood flow would incapacitate him sooner.

A spear broke through the crowd and glanced off of the golden mask, knocking it hard enough to remove it from the Legate's head. Vulpes took the opportunity to lift his body and kick Lanius in the face, causing him to lessen his grip and drop him to the ground. With no time to recover, Lanius was knocked off balance as the body of Maximus Leapt over Vulpes and onto his shoulders. They landed hard but Maximus controlled her fall into a roll before recovering on her feet. Unfortunately, she did not land near any weapons and could only reach for the knife in her boot before Lanius lumbered back to his full height, the Blade of the East, still clutched in his fist.

"You've made a grave mistake, boy." He said, as he raised his sword. "You were supposed to be dead, but I will soon rectify that, as well as this false god." He swung towards her, barely missing her, as she dodged to the side. His armor did not allow an opening so she slashed feebly at his exposed arm. Though, blood was drawn, he didn't react as he swung back with his other arm and knocked her to the ground. As she hit the mud, she did not allow her body to stop moving even as blinding pain tore down the right side of her body. It was only a glance from his blade, but the power he put behind the swing was enough to break her ribs where the flesh did not split. His sword became lodged into the mud and cement, giving Maximus enough time to recover and grab for her spear. She heard the moment his blade became dislodged and turned to block its swing but was caught off guard by a solid kick to her chest, as her spear was ripped from her hands. She stumbled back, the breath knocked out of her before she ever hit the ground. As she landed, her head knocked against something solid, sending blinding flashes across her vision. A single gunshot could be heard before she blacked out, entirely.

It took a moment for Maximus to realize the darkness was not the same that she had succumbed to. After a few moments of fumbling, she removed a wrap from around her eyes and took in her surroundings. She was in a small tent—no, a small room to a larger tent. It was night. Lanterns barely lit the room from what she assumed was the outer wall. The door however, was dark. As she sat up, she winced slightly but was surprised to not be in more pain. A small tray next to the bedroll she had occupied revealed why: chems. Several used stimpacks and a vial of medex lay discarded along with bloodied rags and gauze. She quickly looked down at her body and was mortified to see that someone had changed her tunic. Her breast band remained tightly wrapped, but she could feel the bruising of an injection point on her ribs below it. She ran her hands over her head and didn't even feel a scar from where she knew she had hit it. Were she not in a panic, she would be amazed. She stood up slowly and took in the rest of her surroundings but found nothing. Her boots, armor and weapon were missing. She crouched near the door and listened for a sign of movement but detected none. Slowly, she pulled the flap back and crawled out.

Once her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she realized she was in Caesar's command tent at the Fort. Every bit of furniture, save for the throne had been removed. The praetorian guard, including their hounds, were also missing. Slowly, she stood and made her way to the back room without a sound and peered through the open tent flap. Empty. Caesar was truly gone. An overwhelming sense of loss came over her, not for the man himself, but the barrier he represented that she could hide herself behind. A rustling of fabric broke her from her lamenting. Maximus turned to see the silhouette of a Vexillarius helm entering the tent just before she ducked down to hide behind the throne, hoping the darkness concealed her long enough not to be noticed.

She could hear footsteps heading towards the chamber she had woken up in and knew immediately that it was not Vulpes. He would never alert anyone to his presence, regardless of intention. After the flap to the room was pulled back, she heard a quick expel of breath before the footsteps grew closer to her. She held her breath, and shifted into a better position to either flee or defend herself in. The steps stopped on the other side of the throne. Silence filled the air for a few long moments until the throne creaked from the weight of someone sitting on it. Taking the opportunity, Maximus shot up and wrapped her arm across the person's throat, locking them in place. A startled squeal escaped before their breath was cut off, entirely. Their arms flailed, reaching down, but she was able to release one arm and grab for the gun at the strangers belt before they could get a grasp on it. With the gun now at their temple, they stopped moving entirely, frozen at the threat. They panted as their hands barely rose in surrender.

"I'm going to release my hold on you, but you are going to stay still and not make a sound." She hissed, darkly. A grunt of acknowledgement followed. Maximus quickly removed her arm from around the stranger's neck and made her way to the other side of the throne. She was momentarily surprised to see it was a woman, her wide, scared eyes appearing almost innocent. Almost.

"Who are you?" she said, not allowing their appearance to disarm her. The girl sat up straighter, her eyes no longer scared, but predatory.

"I am Tabellaria of Caesar's Legion. I serve my master as the greatest of his Frumentarii" she said with pride.

"Vulpes is the leader of the Frumentarii and even if he is Caesar, the position would have gone to Alerio."

"Alerio died in the battle of New Vegas." She stated simply. Though the news was unwelcomed, she resolved to grieve later.

"Even if his second fell, there were several in line as contingencies. I _was_ within their ranks. Regardless of your gender, you were not there."

"An exception was made when Vulpes became Caesar. I served him from the moment I met him in Nipton. It was only natural that I be welcomed within the fold."

"So, you're the Courier, then?"

"Was" she said with a wink.

"Why are you here?" Maximus asked, lowering the gun, slowly.

"Vulpes stationed several guards outside of a tent that's supposed to be empty. I had to see what was being hidden."

"And now that you've found me?"

"I'm underwhelmed. You're just a Legionnaire." She raked her eyes down Maximus' body in a suggestive manner. "Or maybe not."

"Seduction will gain you no answers, from me"

"As I'm beginning to learn. It seems to work on most men in this camp. You'd be surprised to know what they share when trying to impress me." Six stated with a smirk. "Like how the man with the fox shaped scar came to fight the former Legate—which by the way, thank you, for that. He sounded like a terror." She said glancing at Maximus' exposed arm. "But, that raises more questions. Like, 'why would Vulpes keep him in a guarded tent?' or 'why isn't he being celebrated?', you can see why I'm confused, right?" Maximus only stared blankly at the girl. "Not even a hint? You're no fun."

"I think it's time for you to leave." She stated plainly, holding the gun out to her, only then noticing it's religious decor. Six stared at it for a moment before taking it. As she did so, Maximus stepped back, allowing her to stand and tuck it into her belt. She kept her features impassive as the girl gave her another sweeping look before making her way to the entrance of the great tent. She crouched down by the door and slipped out into the night.

The moment she was alone again, she regretted not keeping the gun. She didn't know why she was in the tent, but the girl had confirmed that she was being guarded, which didn't bode well. But, if the girl could manage to get in and out without detection, she clearly could, too. She had no weapons, and more importantly, no blade to cut the thick fabric of the tent walls to make an escape. She would also have to use the front entrance.

Crouched down by the door, she prepared to make her exit when the sound of footsteps met her ears. The hope of it being someone passing by escaped her as the number of people she could hear increased. She stood up and stepped back into the tent, ready to duck back behind the throne when the tent flap was abruptly pulled open. Several of the Praetorian Guard entered, their fists raised, already planning for a confrontation. With little time to think, Maximus kicked over one of the lighting fixtures, scattering the unlit tinder and ash to the ground as she pulled one of the wooden support rods from its base. She held it in front of her as if it were a spear.

"By Lord Vulpes Incultas' orders, you are being relocated." One spoke up among the tension. "Please, come peacefully" She counted nine of them, each equipped with a power fist and measured her odds. They were most likely transfers from the Lagate's camp, as she didn't recognize a single face. With a heavy sigh, she let her makeshift weapon fall, knowing it wasn't enough to contend with Caesar's—no, Vulpes' elite. They surrounded her in formation, two in front and at her sides, and three in a triangle behind her. She was marched out of the tent.

She was lead down the hill to the back of the camp, passing her formal personal tent, a light inside told her someone new was occupying it. Next to it, Vulpes' stood dark, most likely vacant since his ascension. As they continued past the tents of sleeping recruits, she realized they were taking her to the weather station, the only secure area in the entirety of the fort. When they opened the door, she did not protest, accepting that there was no longer any escape. As it closed behind her, she heard the grating metal of a lock sliding into place. She was alone in the artificially lit room. From the char marks on the floor, she knew the bunker below, even if unlocked, would not be a viable means of escape. She looked around for anything that would be a use, but not even a bobby pin presented itself. She placed her ear to the door, knowing it was futile as the building was practically soundproof from both sides. Walking back into the room, she ran her hands over her face before picking up a chair and slamming it into a wall with a great scream. The material didn't break, it barely bent and left no feeling of satisfaction, like she had intended. She leaned against the wall and allowed herself to sink to the floor in a panicked daze. She had no idea what to expect, going forward. She forced herself to control her breathing as her mind replayed her conversation with the courier. A woman was now welcomed into the ranks, but was it only because she was to be Vulpes wife? If she were at such a high station, why didn't she know about Maximus and her imprisonment? So much didn't make sense, so she focused on the facts: she was now a prisoner of Caesar's Legion. Caesar was dead. Vulpes was the new Caesar.


	13. Chapter 13: Questions

Maximus sat on the floor, neglecting the chairs thrown to the back of the room. No more than an hour could have passed since she had been locked away, but it felt like an eternity. The flickering lights of the room had begun to mess with her head and in a rage, she had smashed them. Though, she regretted the mistake of destroying her primary light source, her eyes had adjusted to the low light remaining from the machinery of the room. Once the lights were out, she was calm and passed the time mourning Alerio and questioning what became of Lucius.

The sound of the door unlocking broke her from her thoughts and she quickly stood, arms held to her side, her shoulders back and her head held proudly. She would not cower. The door opened, revealing the silhouette of several men, but only one stepped through before the door was closed and locked, once more. Vulpes stood before it, his face impassive as he let a bundle drop to the floor at his side. A spear remained in his hands. She didn't move.

"I've been informed you did not come willingly. I had intentions of doing this in the command tent, but noticed my protege sneaking around it. I couldn't have her getting involved, could I?", he finally spoke, his smooth voice conveying indifference. She didn't give him an answer, not even an acknowledgment as she worked to keep her face as neutral as possible. "If fighting is what you wish to do, then please", he tossed the spear and she caught it reflexively. "Indulge me." With his eyes still on her, he reached down to the bundle on the floor and pulled out a machete.

"If I kill you, I'm still locked in this room." She said raising her spear.

"If you kill me, the key is on my person. The pack on the floor, here has enough provisions for several weeks, if one is sparing. The guards outside have been relieved of their watch. You are more than welcome to fight your way out of this camp, or simply disappear. I'm sure that many will be thankful for it." He didn't specify which part "it" was referring to.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Is it not what you want? It seems to be the only thing you're interested in when you aren't running" She couldn't hide the anger that presented itself on her face. "One of these options is no longer viable, but I'll still give you a choice." He said, quietly. She knew it was reckless, but she rushed him, anyway. He deflected her blow and knocked her back to where they stood as if they were having a proper fight in the arena. "Your form is weak. Even if I had stood still for that strike, it would not have come close to killing me." He said before lunging forward. She rotated her spear, knocking his blade to the side before going in to strike him with the blunt end. He ducked before it could make contact, swinging his blade back around at her torso. She blocked it, the force of which set them both back to their original positions.

"Were I aiming to kill you, it would be done, already. You know me well enough to figure out I don't need to kill you to escape this. Or have you already forgotten about Red Rock?"

"I don't know you, at all." He stated in a dismissive tone that went straight to Maximus' heart. He saw it briefly cross her face and took the opportunity to step in. Before he could swing for her thigh, she brought her spear parallel to her body, glancing the blow. He used the momentum to redirect his swing and arch his blade over her head. She stepped back and braced against it, but it wasn't enough. The force of his attack split her spear in two, narrowly avoiding her face. Vulpes stepped back to his side of the room. "You never should have chosen such an inferior weapon. There's a reason I never bothered to teach you." She threw the pieces to the ground.

"I don't need it." She said defiantly.

"Then, prove it." He maintained his same, cool composure, as always. His arms were to his side, no sense of urgency or worry to be conveyed. His machete remained almost slack in his hand. She only had moments to choose a strategy before he inevitably predicted her every move. The events of Red Rock briefly ran through her mind. With renewed confidence, she lunged at him. He brought his blade up in an arch to counter, but at the last moment, before he could strike, she dropped to the floor and swept her leg behind his, bringing him down, hard. The blade remained in his hand, but only for a moment, as Maximus slammed her fist into his forearm, forcing his muscles to spasm and his grip to weaken. The weapon was swept to the side, out of reach for both of them. By the time she went for his throat, he had already recovered and grabbed her hand before she could get a firm grasp. She swung at his temple with her other, but it too was caught as he attempted to contort her into a painful hold. She kicked out, throwing her body weight, trying to shake him, but he didn't relent. Her energy was waning and she realized he was intentionally tiring her out. She focused on pulling against only one of his holds, the other painful, but bearable until she reversed her movements, and used his own force to bring her elbow into his ribs. He released just enough for her to slip one hand free and roll back, ready to kick out at him, but he moved with her and had her pinned on her back, one arm held above her head, the other trapped beneath her. In the hand not restraining her, the broken head of her spear was pressed firmly to her throat. A cold calm washed over her body and she no longer fought against his hold. Save for heavy breathing, everything was silent.

"Do it." She whispered. A beat passed and he did not move. His equally labored breathing was the only change in his usual demeanor. She lifted her head, allowing the metal to press into her skin before yelling "DO IT". For a fleeting moment, shock registered in his eyes. He threw the weapon to the side and stared down at her in anger.

"Why would you give up, so easily?" he demanded.

"Because it's you!" She closed her eyes and let her head drop back to the floor. "I once offered you mercy from a crucifixion, and you turned it down. But I'm not like you—as much as I tried to be. If I have to die, I want it to be by your hands. If I can't stay, then there is nothing for me." She slowly arched her body to free her trapped hand. Vulpes prepared for her to strike, but she only took his free hand in hers and guided it to her throat. Their breathing was evening out, the flush of their skin barely registering in the low light as he sat astride her, eyes imploring him to finish it.

"Why did you keep running?" he whispered, for once letting his mask fall as he moved his hand up her neck to cup her cheek. Sorrow, confusion and excitement simultaneously transformed his features as his blue eyes bore into her soul. She felt the change, but didn't know how to process it.

"Why did you keep chasing me?" she asked, not understanding what the point of all of this was, if not to kill her.

He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers in a chaste kiss. When he pulled back, she stared up at him with wide eyes as her mind registered what had happened. With confidence she could only describe as quintessentially Vulpes, he moved his hand to the back of her head and kissed her, again. The moment she reciprocated, he deepened the kiss, a sudden urgency taking over his actions. The hand holding her wrist down released her, wandering down her body until it came to clutch at her waist. She bunched both of her fists in his tunic as if she could pull him any closer before opening her mouth to him and letting him take what he wanted.

One of his legs snaked down from straddling her and nudged at the crease between her thighs, prompting her to spread and allow him to slot between them. The moment they made contact, she moaned into his mouth. Without thinking, he began to rock against her, desperately chasing her moans until his hips were grinding into hers. His hand trailed down her side and to her thigh, sliding under the hem of her tunic to paw at her bare flesh. His hand guided her to meet his movements as he rutted against her, still kissing her like it would kill him to stop. At this point, maybe it would.

His own tunic had ridden up his hips, leaving their undergarments the only barrier between them. His length protruded from the top of his, unable to contain it in its fullest form. It slid between the damp, thin fabric conforming to her folds. She whimpered against his lips, close to her release from such a small action. Touch starved and desperate, she angled her hips until he was sliding against her perfectly. In moments, she inhaled sharply, overwhelmed by the sensation as she came. She cried out, her back arching and pulling her lips from Vulpes. He moved his head down and began devouring her throat, all control lost as the sounds she made spurred him on.

He still held on to the back of her head, anchoring himself to her as he dragged his teeth down the column of her neck. Without thinking, he reached down and moved her undergarments to the side, exposing her. As his fingers ghosted over the sensitive flesh, he could feel the remaining contractions shuttering through her. He pulled his own down just enough to free himself and slid against her. The raw sensation caused them to moan simultaneously.

Maximus clawed at his back and returned her mouth to his as he pressed against her entrance. He pushed in and out with just the tip until he was saturated enough to slide in without resistance. A strangled cry left his throat as he became fully sheathed. He couldn't stop moving, as if possessed by pure want, a need to possess her in every possible way, starting by burying himself in her over and over, the pace increasing until silence was impossible. He returned his lips to her throat, every breath released coupled with a deep grunt as he lost himself in her body. She wrapped her legs around him tightly, anchoring herself against him so that she could thrust back in time. Her own cries mirrored his as they became further entangled, losing themselves to their baser desires.

Maximus felt the overwhelming buildup of another orgasm nearing, causing her to seize up and clutch to Vulpes with all the need she had ever possessed. No battle nor victory could ever amount to what she was feeling as he encompassed her, rendering her helpless to his body as he filled her beyond what she imagined possible.

No longer able to meet his strokes, she was left to his mercy as he pounded into her. A great cry left her as she crested over the remains of her self-control, pulsing hard around Vulpes swollen member. He continued to thrust into her at a brutal pace, hugging her to his body, now stifling his own sounds against her throat. It was bliss and torture all at once as he rode through her orgasm, seeming to lose the fight himself as his moans grew in volume. His rhythm barely stuttered before he buried himself deep within her, biting into her shoulder as a great groan left his chest. The depth brought on another wave pleasure as he flexed into her every few moments, spilling inside of her, refusing to pull out any further than necessary to stimulate his overly sensitive cock.

He kissed her, as they came down, still breathing heavily, but unable to stop touching each other. What started as greedy and desperate evolved into something slower and heavier. Vulpes held himself above her, only enough not to smother her, his remaining weight comforting above her. After several moments, Maximus reluctantly pulled away to look into his eyes. She was afraid if she stopped, the illusion might end, but she couldn't stop herself from wanting confirmation that she wasn't hallucinating. Familiar blue eyes stared back at her with a warmth she had never witnessed, before. Vulnerability and hope bled through them as he brought his hand up to stroke her cheek. She finally broke the silence.

"Why?"


	14. Chapter14:Confessions

"Why?" He stared at her for a long moment before inhaling deeply, as if to prepare himself.

"I wish I could give you a simple answer. This outcome was honestly not my original intent, but I by no means regret it." He said, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead. "All I had wished to do was grant you an opportunity at retribution for my treatment of you, but to also test you."

"Test me?" she asked warily, looking up at him, the dim light of the machinery highlighting his cheekbones.

"If you will accept, I want you as my Praetorian Commander." She couldn't hide her surprise at his request.

"But, what of Lucius?" her cheeks burned as she realized she could be speaking of the dead while he was still inside her.

"He has been promoted to Legate, his original guard now serves him in that capacity. He is overseeing the conversion of New Vegas as we tie up what is needed, here."

"And the courier, is what she said true?" she asked, her brow creasing with concern.

"If you are referring to her position, then, yes." Her eyes shifted down, away from his piercing hold. "Hey." He caressed her cheek, bringing her gaze back to his. "It was not a slight against you. I needed to show that the Legion was growing, that women could serve and be more than slaves. Caesar's last order was for me to marry her so that she wouldn't be enslaved, I simply skipped a step, hoping that maybe one day, when it was normalized, you would no longer have to hide." She could only stare up at him in awe. "The frumenarii are required to travel constantly, her role is no exception. As the praetorian commander, you will have no choice but to be by my side."

"And what if I refuse?"

"You won't." he said simply. She blinked, knowing full well that he was right. He smirked down at her, watching that realization bloom on her face.

"Do you still consider me criminal?" his smirk faltered and he lowered his forehead to hers as his eyes closed.

"No. And, I never should have." He sighed and lifted his head, once more. "You were my one constant and I think having that interrupted broke something in me. I felt inadequate, like it should have been something I had figured out because lookingback, all of the signs were there. It isn't something that ultimately affected me, but to be in my position and not know such an important secret, I felt like I had failed both the Legion and myself. Then, when that feeling dissipated, I became angered that you didn't feel you could tell me, that I wasn't enough for you."

"Vul…" he brought a finger up to her lips to gently silence her.

"Please, let me finish." He said, his tone mimicking his action. "It took longer than it should have for me to accept that this had nothing to do with me. This burden was thrust upon you, and when the Malpai—when your father—was killed, you lost any protection you may have had. For all you knew, I could have exploited that information to gain favor with Caesar after he spared me from my crucifixion, or to placate him during my disappointing time as a recruit. You could have also avoided me as you have everyone else to protect yourself further, yet you chose me, regardless of the attention that would bring you. Upon realizing this, I became….fixated and suddenly everything we have ever been through together meant so much more." His tone had started to become husky. She could feel him twitching lightly inside her as he lost himself to his confession. Her breathing was becoming labored. "I chased you with the intention of bringing you before Caesar for justice, but it quickly evolved into something else." He said breathily as he slowly rocked his hips against her. The movement was subtle, but he was rapidly growing harder. "The more you ran, the more I wanted you. Hunting you was exhilarating and torturous. Sometimes, I was only hours behind you before being pulled away for an assignment. Even I couldn't constantly validate what had become an obsession without raising suspicion. You were my secret." He began to move in earnest, his lips parting as a low grunt left him. Maximus held a whine at the back of her throat at the feel of him dragging against her, the evidence of their previous coupling facilitating his movement. "Tell me you're mine." He demanded before kissing her. She immediately allowed herself to melt into him, parting her lips as he took her slowly, but with every ounce of passion he could convey. He reached down to pull at her tunic and she parted from him to allow him to remove it. "Tell me you'll stay" he growled as moved back to kiss her. She realized he wasn't giving her an opportunity to deny him. She began to tug at his tunic just the same, refusing to be alone in her vulnerability. After a moment, he relented and separated, tugging it over his head impatiently before pushing his undergarments down his legs, kicking them off. Without hesitating, he tore hers away, unwilling to separate their bodies entirely. He kissed her again as if their brief parting had been a lifetime that needed to be made up for as he slowly started to thrust into her again.

Vulpes hands landed on her waist and slowly trailed up her body until they reached the edge of her breast band. He slowed their kiss and then gently pulled away, his body rolled into her at an almost teasing pace. He wanted to stop, but it seemed nearly impossible now that he had her. Maximus looked up at him with wide eyes, out of conditioning and habit. He began to pull his hands away when she grabbed them and nodded her head in resolve. Guiding one of his hands to the side where the wrap was secured, she let the other hold her as she sat up and allowed him to slowly unwind it from her body. When it finally fell away, she held her breath. A lifetime of considering herself lucky for being small enough to bind, she was suddenly concerned she was not enough, at all.

"Gods, you're remarkable" he hissed before pulling her into his lap to straddle him as he kissed her once more. He began to buck up into her from below, one hand guiding her hips along with his, the other crushing her against him. She gasped at the sensation of her chest touching his, as alien as it was, clutching to his shoulders. He moved his lips down her throat to nip at her collar bone as he guided her to ride him faster. The hand on her back moved to grasp her other hip. No longer holding her against him, he nuzzled down her heaving chest, planting kisses along the way.

The moment his tongue swiped over her nipple, she choked out a scream, unable to register the pleasure coursing through her at the action. He latched on, gently teasing her with his teeth as he continued to swirl his tongue against her. One of her hands moved into his hair as the other clutched around his shoulder. Knowing she would soon fall apart, he moved his arms around her back wrapping her tightly in them as he increased his pace, holding her in place, giving her no option but to submit as he slammed into her. Her legs tightened around him like a vice as she started chanting his name, pulsing around him, her voice getting shriller until she was unable the breathe, unable to think. Her body seized around him, her already tight channel constricting him in the most delicious way.

"Maximu—oh!", Vulpes shouted as an orgasm unexpectedly ripped through him. He slammed her body down upon him as he thrust as deep as he could into her, flooding her with his seed. He continued to moan as her pulsing milked every drop he had from his body, too high to fight it, but too sensitive to keep from reacting.

They held each other as they slowly came down, bodies warm and glistening with sweat. Heavy breathing and moaning tapered out into a steady rhythm as they stared into each other's eyes as if they were unable to believe the past hour had actually happened.

"I'll never leave you, again." She rasped out. Her breath almost caught in her throat when a true smile broke out across his face. So rare and so beautiful, it made her heart ache. He leaned in and kissed her briefly in response, the same smile still there when he pulled away.


	15. Chapter 15: Worship

Maximus followed Vulpes out of the weather station after they had dressed, her torn undergarments now hiding in the bottom of the pack he had brought.

"I fear your praetorian guard will have a difficult time respecting my leadership after having to escort me as a prisoner." She stated, choosing an appropriate topic in case anyone was listening in passing.

" _Your_ praetorian guard." He corrected. "You will make them respect you."

"They used to serve under the legate, I'm not sure I can cont—wait, are we not going to your tent?" she asked as they passed it.

"We are." He stated coolly as he walked to hers. He held the tent flap open for her to enter. "I forfeited mine to Tabellaria as a consolation prize of sorts for not marrying her. The alternative would have been her residing with me or her taking yours. I would not allow that to happen, so I simply moved in as a compromise. I couldn't bring myself to sleep in Caesar's tent; it felt disrespectful. Given our relationship, nobody questioned when I moved to reside in your stead. And given your newly appointed position, it would only make sense that you stay with me as Lucius did in the command tent." He said as he let the tent close behind him. Maximus looked around the tent to see all of her possessions still neatly packed against one side. The furniture that usually resided in the center was pushed against it in order accommodate a second cot that had Vulpes' armor resting on top of a trunk at its foot.

"Where are the rest of your things?" she asked as she crossed to her belongings, searching for a bundle that contained clothes.

"All in New Vegas. I didn't want to send your things there until you consented to follow. They will leave tomorrow, with your blessing." He stated, sitting on his cot. She found what she was looking for and quickly pulled a new pair of undergarments on under her tunic, smothering the panic that accompanied her conditioning to hide herself.

"When do we depart?" she asked, crossing to her own cot. He grabbed her hand as she passed, prompting her to stop and stand before him as he idly rubbed his thumb over her scarred knuckles.

"In a few days time, given your approval. I can't have the leader of my guard excluded from such an important plan." He gently released her hand and let her pass. There was more she wished to discuss, but was too weary of her new neighbor to risk such topics. Vulpes gave her a knowing look, a silent acknowledgement that he wished the same. She was grateful he was equally cautious.

"Should the guard not be outside, or would you like me to take watch?" she asked, remembering her role.

"They're watching from the ridge and know to return to their post outside once our lanterns are extinguished." He said leaning over to his nightstand to do just that.

"As prepared as you are, you might not need me, after all." She said with a small smile, moving to do the same.

"I need you more than you know." He said holding her gaze for just a moment before darkness fell over the tent. "Good night, Maximus."

"Goodnight Vul."

"I refuse to allow you to travel alone with Caesar given your history of dismissal!" Tabellaria shouted across the table at Maximus. Maximus kept her composure and briefly glanced at Vulpes before responding. His gaze met hers and she could see a sparkle of challenge in his eyes.

"Any remnants of the NCR with any decent amount of sense would take our move as a final opportunity to attack the Legion during a power shift. They would be foolish not to. With the Mojave Outpost so close by, regardless of driving them out, there will doubtlessly be remaining rangers and troopers that escaped the slaughter into the desert to the east. Our lord cannot be seen traveling in a large, obvious group; the safest choice is for us to travel alone on a different route and regroup outside of New Vegas before we enter the city. I understand we need to make a show of arriving, but that does not require making one the entire journey."

"Who's to say you won't take him out and claim the throne?" she bit back.

"For starters, I'm not eligible. It would fall to Lucius. What is your fixation on my inevitable betrayal?"

"Your history!"

"I still don't follow." She said dead pan, trying not to lose her temper.

"You get demoted, by Caesar himself—"

"The head Frumentarius, at the time." Maximus clarified.

"Ignored orders to return to Caesar for reassignment" she spoke louder. "Disappeared for months at a time. Broke rank during a battle. How can anyone here trust you?"

"So, you list what you deem are my crimes, now sing my accolades." Maximus dared her. "Or, do I need to remind you that I currently outrank you? Or that I was brought up as the son of a Legate alongside a son of Mars? Or that he was the one who taught me to be a frumentarius and to make such decisions because, that too, is the history of our lord?" she braced her hands on the table, leaning towards Tabellaria as she dropped her voice. "I was chosen for this role. Do not begin to assume you know me or the lengths I will go to protect him. Question me again, and we will settle this in the arena." They stared each other down for a few long moments before Tabellaria's expression briefly flashed defeat as she sat back down and conceded. Maximus didn't dare look at Vulpes, her attention focusing on keeping control of the meeting. She stood back up to her full height to address the table. "My men will escort the remaining populous to the city, among them, a frumentarius will dress as a decoy Caesar. The Mojave only knows him for the coyote cowl and nothing more, so having them wear one will be the best choice. The remaining frumentarii will dispatch in intervals in different directions to assess any waiting threats. I suggest hiding a few among the slaves in the event of an attack. The reason we will not be using a slave as a decoy is because of the likelihood of capture—whoever plays Caesar must act the part until he has truly been delivered home. You will leave a day ahead of us, as we will travel faster on our own and wish to arrive around the same time. Our route will only be revealed to Tabellaria, for security reasons." As she ended, she finally looked to Vulpes, whose masked expression showed only the slightest hint of amusement behind it.

"Will there be any questions?" he simply asked the table. Shaking heads and light calls of 'no, my Lord' echoed amongst the group as Maximus took her seat. "Then you are dismissed, save for Tabellaria." Praetorians, Frumentarii and Centurions alike, left the small tent until it was only the three of them.

"What do you require of me, my lord?" Tabellaria purred.

"Our routes, in the event of delays" he said handing her a small stack of papers.

"Routes as in plural?" she asked.

"We do not want to stick to just one, travelling conditions will determine which direction we take. If anything were to happen, we have a series of safe houses to hold out in, if necessary." Maximus clarified.

"Memorize these routes, you will not be leaving this tent with them." Vulpes instructed. Tabellaria nodded and laid them out before her to study.

Maximus and Vulpes watched the last of the camp depart, leaving them entirely alone. As the courser took the raft further away, Tabellaria's eyes did not leave Vulpes until the river bent and took them out of sight, leaving only the sparkle of the reflected sunset in their wake.

"She's infatuated with you." Maximus said, not unkindly.

"Do not remind me." He said, unamused. "For someone so effective at their job, she somehow fails at being subtle." He muttered before turning to climb the hill back to the Fort. Maximus followed him after one last glance down the river.

They walked through the bare bones of the fort, only ghosts of its prior activities remained. The tents not deemed salvageable or worth the effort of moving remained erect, scattered throughout the grounds. The dining tent and infirmary long since dismantled. The arena, not worth the scrap, remained standing, seemingly insignificant in its emptiness. Where Maximus expected to return to their tent, Vulpes took a right, leading them to where the command tent once stood, now disassembled and removed, save for the throne.

"Do you remember what I've told you of Gomorrah?" he asks. She crinkles her nose, recalling the details and he accepts that as an answer before she could speak. "Did I ever tell you of the back courtyard, though?"

"No, only the inner workings and their…business practices." She responds, perplexed by his mention of such a dissolute establishment.

"It's like an oasis with its flora; a small man made pool in the center surrounded by lush green. The surrounding walls host walkways and balconies that can oversee the entire space."

"It sounds as if they had as least one untainted corner, after all" she remarked, attempting to visualize his words.

"Don't be mistaken, even this space was designed with debauchery in mind. Every corner was host to both private and public beds. They truly catered to all proclivities, including that of group play in the pool. It was not something one could use to become clean, by any means." Maximus blushed at his descriptions.

"Did you ever…play?" she asked, disgusted by the possession that overcame her at the thought.

"Though I pride myself in my work, I can assure you, Mr. Fox would not debase himself so publicly. Even with my character, half-truths were important for both my cover and my personal limitations. I would not shame our men for making such decisions, but it would not be one made true to me. You have nothing to be concerned about." He glanced at her as they reached the top of the hill, a playful smile gracing his lips.

The view before them hindered any rebuttal that wished to fall from her lips as a warm, golden sunset painted the sky in shades of pink and purple. She had seen this view a thousand times before and yet it never failed to astonish her.

"We will most likely never have a reason to return here, so I wanted to give you one last opportunity to experience the view." He spoke, quietly. "I remember when we were children, you would sneak up here to sit behind the tent during evening meals. For the longest time, I thought you were just hiding until I saw how reverently you would stare upon the horizon."

"I always thought I was undetected. Why didn't you say anything?" she asked, ignoring a wave of embarrassment.

"I didn't want to take this away from you." He admitted, his thin fingers gesturing gracefully at the view. "After I realized what you were doing, I never followed you here, again." She felt the air displacement and turned to see him walking away to give her privacy, but she quickly snatched his hand and guided him back to her side. He stared down at her for a moment before letting his gaze follow hers to the painted sky. "Thank you, for sharing this with me." His thumb gently rubbed along her knuckles, their hands still clasped as they watched the remaining light slowly fade from the sky.

The spell was broken as darkness settled over the camp, the moon just bright enough to see by while the lights of New Vegas shone like a beacon to their future. Maximus sighed lightly as she turned away from it, knowing they would have to leave tomorrow afternoon. She was expecting to be excited but could only muster nervousness at the thought. As she moved to walk down the hill, Vulpes held her in place, still grasping her hand.

"I never finished telling you of Gomorrah." He said, pulling her with him as he moved to the ridge overseeing the arena. She looked to him hesitantly, curious as to the point he wished to make. He smiled at her, knowingly. "I wish to expand on this," he stated gesturing below them. "The entire structure would be ideal for a coliseum. The basement could hold the slaves, the rooms the career fighters. The front casino can become a training area. Out back would be the arena itself, ideal with its balconies and open air for a true battle. We're coming up on a time of peace, and I know our men will become restless. Further, I fear some may become complacent and weak without the stimulation of war." He said, looking down at her proudly. Maximus was breathless, not having seen this side of him since the scourge of Nipton. "For appearances and motivation, I'm having a throne installed in the center balcony as the prewar emperors once had. There will be a place for you next to it to witness the vying praetorian hopefuls, as you build upon your position." He added, prompting her to smile at his consideration and respect for her.

"Why is the throne still here, if you wish to install it at Gam—the coliseum?" she asked, turning to look at it, sitting undisturbed in the center of the hill.

"No. Not that one. Never that one." He said, as if to solidify the decision to himself. "It is not mine. It is a symbol of the past and of an archaic time period, now that we finally have our New Rome. It will remain here, where its ideals were forged, as a marker of our foothold over the Mojave." Maximus only nodded in acknowledgement, having nothing to contribute to such a declaration. His eyes lifted towards the shining lights of their new home in the distance. "I will have one made in the coming weeks. I've yet to settle on a design, though." He said walking forward with her in tow. "Though I am proud, I have never thought to present myself in such a way, and now that it's happening, I suppose there's a lot to consider. How decorative should it be? I've always been a man of minimal needs, even this" he said, stopping in front of the throne. "is too much, for me. Then there's the size" he said pulling her in front of him and turning her to face him. "Not just the height, but the width. I wish to be comfortable, but I do not wish to be dwarfed by a piece of furniture." He gently pushed her, until her knees hit the edge and she was forced to sit. She inhaled sharply, shocked at the thought of sitting on the throne, the taboo of such an act from someone of her station. "I need to be sure it can fit both of us." He said, dropping to his knees in front of her. She stared at him wide eyed, hanging on his every word. "I want to feel your legs spread over mine as I show our men _exactly_ what you mean to me." He ran his hands up her thighs, dragging his nails, as he went.

"I—I shouldn't be here, this is wrong…" she managed to get out as her heart fluttered at the hungry look in his eyes.

"This is exactly where you belong." He began following his hands with his lips, gently nipping at her flesh between speaking. "This is my legion, now. There is no one else who can tell you otherwise." His hands roamed above her hips, gently tugging at her undergarment until she lifted enough for him to pull them down her legs. She was breathing heavily now, looking down at this man before her, never having imagined this as a possibility. "I may rule everything you see before you, and the horizon's that pass them, but you rule over me, and I plan to worship you properly." She gasped as he pulled her legs forward by her calves, forcing her to fall back as he spread them. Before she could recover, his tongue licked a broad stripe up her center. In her breathless state, her mouth fell open with a silent cry. Her mind immediately warred between the pleasure of his actions and the severity of where she sat, desecrating a space she often kneeled to. She couldn't bring her hands to grasp the throne as she desperately wished she could, as the conflict within her rattled her instincts to flee. She settled on digging her nails into her thighs, closing her eyes tightly, trying to pretend she was anywhere else that couldn't end in crucifixion. "Look at me.", he demanded, softly.

Upon meeting his striking blue gaze, the familiar calm Vulpes had always provided negated her panic. On her following exhale, a whimpering moan escaped her lips. His eyes lit up at her acknowledgement as he delved as deeply as it could, spurring further moans. He lapped at her, the ridged tip of his tongue dragged against her with every stroke, intent on hitting where he knew would most affect her. She didn't need anything more to reach her peak, and Vulpes knew that, but it didn't stop him from sliding two fingers inside of her to curl against her wanting flesh while his lips suctioned around her clit.

Upon quieting from her moans, she could hear a faint rhythmic rusting that took a moment to identify as Vulpes stroking himself to her pleasure. A silent orgasm tore through her at the knowledge, too winded to make a sound as her body tensed and crested backwards causing her hands to finally rest on the throne as she dug her fingers into the arm rests.

"Oh, Gods, yes!" he proclaimed, releasing her sensitive flesh. " _This_ is where you belong." His lips grazed against her inner thighs, trailing open mouthed kisses as he continued to touch himself. "Our empire will bow to you upon your throne, and I with them, whenever you require." When she could breathe again, she opened her eyes and was blown away by his hungry visage between her legs. Never had anyone looked upon her so reverently. She tightened around his fingers, prompting him to moan against her skin. "Tell me what you wish of me." He practically begged. Unable to speak, she guided his head back to her core and moaned as he ravaged her like a starving man. His other hand came up to grab her hip, but she stopped him.

"No—Don't stop pleasuring yourself. I want to see you come apart!" she gasped. He quickly complied, the thrust of his fingers matching the rhythm of his hand. His gaze remained on her, raw and animalistic.

As she came a second time, her eye slammed shut, but she could still see the image of him staring back at her, the intensity burned into her memory. His lips and fingers pulled away from her as he braced himself against the throne, his breathing increasing, face fully flushed. She opened her eyes to that same gaze. His brow deepened and his lips parted, a low buildup of moans escaped his throat. "Let me see you, Vul" she said, airily, still coming down. She reached forward and cupped his cheek, prompting him to lean into it. Within seconds, his moans became grunts, his eyes slamming shut as he climaxed onto the ground before her, still kneeling in worship.


End file.
